/f' \ 


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in  2017  with  funding  from 
Duke  University  Libraries 


https://archive.org/details/advantagesofrich01rich_0 


THE  ADVANTAGES 

OF 

RICHMOND, 

VIRGINIA, 

AS  A 

Manufacturing  # Trading 
CENTRE, 


WITH  NOTES  FOR  THE  GUIDANCE  OF  TOURISTS 
ON  THE  LINES  OF  TRANSPORTATION 
RUNNING  FROM  RICHMOND. 


RICHMOND; 


PUBLISHED  UNDER  THE  AUSPICES  OF  THE  TRADE  COMMITTEES  OF 
THE  CHAMBER  OF  COMMERCE  AND  COMMERCIAL  CLUB. 


WM.  ELLIS  JONES, 
PRINTER, 
RICHMOND,  VA. 


<775'.  W 3 

if?  ■ 6 3 ' 3 K— 


To  The  Reader: 

The  wonderful  development  of  the  great  West 
is  very  largely  due  to  the  aid  afforded  by  the  men  and  money 
of  New  England  and  the  East.  It  is  believed  that  the  time 
has  come  when  the  men  and  money  of  New  England  and  the 
East  can  find  as  rich  returns  in  Southern  development.  In 
this  view  the  good  people  of  Richmond  present  this  little  book, 
and  they  ask  for  its  contents  a patient  consideration. 


P33482 


CONTENTS. 


Chapter  I. — Richmond , Virginia:  Page. 

Settlement — Topography — Health — Public  Grounds  and 
Parks — Inter-Communication — Churches — Schools  and 
Colleges — Temper  of  People,  &c 5-10 

Chapter  II. — Means  of  Transportation: 

The  Past  and  the  Present — The  Various  Railroad  Sys- 
tems— The  Country  Drained  by  Them — Water  Com- 
munication  1 1-2 1 

Chapter  III. — General  Manufacturing  Exhibit: 

Capital  Invested — Hands  Employed — Aggregate  Sales — 

Special  Advantages — Water  and  Steam  Power — Labor 
Supply — Raw  Material  Available — Fostering  Auxilia- 
ries  22-29 

Chapter  IV. — Manufactures  in  Detail: 

The  Banking  Basis  — The  Coal  Movement  — The  Iron 
Interest — Milling — A Comprehensive  Range  of  Indus- 
tries  3°~45 

Chapter  V. — The  fobbing  Trade: 

How  It  Plas  Been  Built  Up  — Richmond  the  Closest, 
Cheapest,  and  Most  Natural  Market  for  the  South — 

List  of  Jobbing  Enterprises — Some  Potent  Reasons 
Why  the  Trade  Will  Continue  to  Increase 46-49 

Chapter  VI. — Of  Interest  to  Tourists : 

Historic — Points  of  Interest  in  the  City — As  a Home  for 
Invalids — The  Scenery  on  the  Railroad  Lines  and  the 
Summer  Resorts 50-64 


Richmond,  Virginia. 


CHAPTER  I. 

SETTLEMENT— TOPOGRAPHY— HEALTH— PUBLIC  GROUNDS 
AND  PARKS  — INTER-COMMUNICATION  — CHURCHES— 
SCHOOLS  AND  COLLEGES— TEMPER  OF  PEOPLE,  &c. 

Richmond,  the  capital  city  of  Virginia,  was  settled  in  1609  by 
a small  body  of  colonists  sent  out  from  Jamestown,  but  for  a long 
period  it  was  little  more  than  an  outpost  on  the  then  frontier.  In 
1737  it  was  laid  off  in  streets  and  lots  by  Colonel  William  Byrd, 
was  duly  incorporated  in  1742,  and  became  the  seat  of  govern- 
ment in  1779.  It  is  situated  at  the  head  of  navigation  and  tide- 
water, on  James  river,  74  miles  in  an  air  line  from  the  sea;  150 
miles  by  the  river.  Latitude  30°,  32',  17",  N. ; longitude  770, 
27',  28",  W. 

TOPOGRAPHY. 

Topographically  considered,  the  city  is  built  upon  two  undu- 
lating plateaux,  resting  on  granite,  divided  by  the  valley  of 
Shockoe  creek,  and  again  subdivided  by  smaller  valleys  and 
ravines,  through  one  of  which  flows  Gillie’s  creek.  This  latter 
stream  may  be  said  tc  divide  the  eastern  plateau  proper  from 
another  plateau  extending  into  the  country.  The  general  ap- 
pearance of  the  city,  particularly  from  the  river  front,  which  is 
2.06  miles  in  length  between  the  eastern  and  western  corporation 
limits,  is  hilly.  The  principal  streets  are  laid  off  from  east  to 
west,  parallel  with  the  river;  the  cross  streets  from  north  to  south, 
the  blocks  being  rectangular  and  for  the  most  part  of  uniform 
area.  The  lowest  sections  of  the  city  range  from  15  to  40  feet, 
and  the  highest  from  150  to  200  feet,  above  tide  level.  The  cor- 
poration area,  as  at  present  bounded,  embraces  6.12  square  miles. 


P33462 


6 


RICHMOND,  VIRGINIA. 


Its  greatest  length  from  east  to  west  is  3.50  miles;  from  north  to 
south,  1.75  miles.  The  pavements  are  from  10  to  12  feet  in 
width. 

HEALTH  AND  DRAINAGE. 

In  point  of  health  Richmond  has  every  natural  advantage. 
The  mean  temperature  for  the  year  1881  was  6i°,  and  its  eleva- 
tion above  the  sea  secures  it  a constancy  of  pure  air.  Total  rain- 
fall (1881),  38.64  inches ; average  for  eleven  years  37.37  inches. 
Even  at  the  highest  range  of  the  thermometer  sunstroke  is  very 
rare,  and  seldom  fatal.  The  undulating  and  rolling  character  of 
the  surface,  producing  short  divides  between  the  valleys  of  the 
creeks  and  the  ravines,  render  it  easily  drained  by  its  18.35  miles 
of  main  sewerage  already  completed.  As  building  extends  the 
drainage  and  grading  extends  with  it. 

PUBLIC  GROUNDS  AND  PARKS. 

The  total  area  of  the  public  grounds  and  parks  in  the  city 
proper  is  above  40  acres — divided  into  five  principal  parks  and 
a number  of  smaller  open  spaces.  Chimborazo  Park,  29,  and 
Libby  Hill  Park,  3.50  acres,  are  located  in  the  eastern  portion 
of  the  city,  150  feet  above  tide  level.  They  command  a view 
of  the  city  of  Manchester  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river,  to- 
gether with  the  bridges  connecting  it  and  Richmond;  the  lower 
James  and  its  tortuous  and  picturesque  windings  for  miles;  the 
falls  above  the  city,  the  docks  and  wharves,  and  the  rich  low- 
grounds  of  Chesterfield  county.  The  Capitol  Park,  13  acres, 
with  its  ancient  State-house,  its  statuary,  its  parade  ground, 
and  beautiful  foliage,  is  like  Boston  Common,  the  centre  of 
the  city,  and  promises  to  continue  the  point  from  which  exten- 
sions will  be  made  in  all  available  directions.  Gamble’s  Hill 
Park,  8.50  acres,  is  on  the  south  and  river  front  of  the  city,  over- 
looking many  of  the  principal  manufacturing  establishments,  and 
also  commanding  a view  of  Manchester,  the  lower  James,  Belle 
Isle,  and  the  smaller  islands  that  stud  the  river  at  and  above  the 
falls.  Monroe  Park,  8.875  acres,  is  in  the  western  extension  of 
the  city — -a  level  plat,  well  shaded  and  beautifully  ornamented 
with  beds  of  shrubs  and  flowers.  Just  on  the  western  edge  of 
the  city  are  the  Old  Reservoir  grounds — a most  attractive  place, 
— and  a mile  further  west  is  the  New  Reservoir  Park.  This  latter 


RICHMOND,  VIRGINIA. 


7 


embraces  160  acres,  bordering  on  the  upper  reach  of  the  James, 
and  is  the  driving  park  of  the  Richmond  people.  Here  are  located 
the  New  Reservoir  and  the  New  Pump  Houses.  The  drives  are 
kept  in  fine  condition,  and  in  the  course  of  a few  years  the  entire 
area  will  be  thoroughly  shaded.  One  of  its  present  principal 
attractions  is  a large  lake,  used  for  boating  in  the  summer  and 
skating  in  the  winter.  It  is  also  used  as  a fish-hatchery,  and  is 
one  of  a projected  cordon  of  lakes  to  be  extended  to  the  river, 
the  last  of  which  will,  in  certain  seasons,  be  at  the  service  of 
anglers. 

INTER-COMMUNICATION. 

Communication  between  the  different  parts  ot  the  city  is  easy 
and  convenient.  A double-street  railway  track  traverses  the  two 
principal  thoroughfares — Main  and  Broad  streets — from  east  to 
west,  with  the  prospect  of  several  cross  lines,  and  a further  ex- 
tension west,  as  improvements  may  demand.  With  the  street- 
car facilities  now  afforded,  access  from  the  line  to  most  any  part 
ol  the  city  requires  only  a few  minutes  walk. 

GAS  AND  WATER  SUPPLY. 

The  city  is  well  lighted  by  gas,  of  its  own  manufacture,  and  is 
now  abundantly  supplied  with  water  from  James  river,  the  purity 
of  which  is  well  attested  both  by  the  experience  of  the  people 
and  chemical  analysis.  The  water  is  pumped  from  several  sta- 
tions along  the  upper  river  front,  or  falls,  above  navigation, 
which  renders  it  free  from  pollution  of  any  character  whatever, 
and  into  reservoirs,  dividing  the  distribution  into  two  services. 
The  maximum  pumping  capacity  is  24,000,000  of  gallons  per 
day,  and  the  total  storage  capacity  of  the  reservoirs  52,000,000 
of  gallons.  The  city  authorities,  realizing  that  rapid  growth  in 
population  and  manufactures  could  not  be  assured  except  with 
an  ample  supply  of  water,  made  the  splendid  provision  for  it 
above  described.  The  fire  department  is  paid  by  the  city,  and 
is  efficient  both  as  to  apparatus  and  the  men  composing  it. 

CHURCH  EDIFICES  AND  MEMBERSHIP. 

It  has  been  frequently  remarked,  with  a great  deal  of  truth,  by 
strangers  visiting  the  city,  that  it  is  the  “greatest  church-going 


/ 


RICHMOND,  VIRGINIA. 


place  of  its  size  in  the  United  States.”  The  church  statistics  for 
1881  make  the  following  exhibit.  Number  of  edifices  55,  di- 
vided as  follows:  Baptist,  white,  9,  colored,  10;  Catholic,  3;  Dis  ■ 
ciples  or  Christians,  2;  Episcopal,  white,  9,  colored,  1 ; Friends,  1 ; 
German  Evangelical,  1;  Hebrew,  3;  Lutheran,  2;  Methodist, 
white,  8,  colored,  2;  Presbyterian,  4;  total  membership  30,146,  or 
but  a fraction  less  than  one-half  of  the  entire  population,  which, 
according  to  the  census  of  1880,  was  63,600.  The  total  number 
of  children  in  Sunday  schools  was  14,893.  Since  these  figures 
were  compiled  several  new  congregations  have  been  organized. 
Some  of  the  church  edifices  are  exceedingly  handsome,  and 
connected  with  all  the  denominations  are  working  and  effective 
benevolent  organizations. 

SCHOOLS  AND  COLLEGES. 

The  educational  facilities  are  unsurpassed.  The  free  schools 
are  thirteen  in  number,  grading  from  the  high  school  to  the  pri- 
mary, and  in  accommodations,  teaching  ability,  and  the  general 
supervision  given  them,  compare  most  favorably  with  any  free 
schools  in  any  city  North  or  South — a fact  fully  attested  by  lead- 
ing educators  from  other  States.  In  1881  the  total  number 
of  teachers  in  service  was  146; — scholars,  5,995.  The  private 
schools  of  all  grades  are  abundant.  Richmond  College,  and  the 
Virginia  Medical  College,  together  with  several  large  female  in- 
stitutes are  also  located  here.  Besides  this  the  city  is  within  a 
days’  ride  of  all  the  leading  institutions  of  learning  in  the  State. 
The  Virginia  Military  Institute  and  Washington  and  Lee  Uni- 
versity at  Lexington  ; the  University  of  Virginia,  near  Charlottes- 
ville ; William  and  Mary  College  at  Williamsburg ; Hampden 
Sidney  College,  and  Union  Theological  Seminary,  near  Farm- 
ville ; Roanoke  College,  at  Salem  ; Randolph  Macon  College,  at 
Ashland,  and  the  several  female  seminaries  and  male  academies 
at  Petersburg,  Staunton,  Danville  and  other  points. 

AS  A HOME  FOR  ARTIZANS. 

Few  cities  can  offer  greater  inducements  than  Richmond  as  a 
home  for  artizans.  In  addition  to  its  school  and  church  privi- 
leges and  its  healthy  location,  it  presents  unusual  facilities  for 
enabling  the  thrifty  to  buy  their  own  houses.  In  nearly  every 


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A violmty.  >• 


RICHMOND,  VIRGINIA. 


9 


direction  in  which  the  city  is  extending  there  are  desirable  build- 
ing lots  which  can  be  bought  cheap,  and  are  convenient  to  the 
manufacturing  plants  that  have  been  or  may  be  made.  The 
means  of  enjoyment  in  the  city  are  ample — all  the  respectable 
benevolent  orders  are  in  good  condition,  and  wages  in  proportion 
to  the  cost  of  living  are  higher  than  in  many  northern  cities. 
The  tenement-house  system,  with  the  stifling  atmosphere  of  nar- 
row streets  and  cramped  courts  is  practically  unknown  and  un- 
necessary. Besides  having  the  parks  as  “breathing  places”  in 
warm  weather,  it  is  hardly  possible  to  walk  a half  dozen  blocks 
in  any  direction  in  the  city  without  coming  in  sight  of  running 
water  and  green  fields.  The  city  is  beautifully  shaded  with  lin- 
den, maple,  and  other  choice  trees. 

COST  OF  LIVING. 

During  the  present  year  there  has  been  a slight  advance  in 
rents,  owing  to  the  unusual  demand  for  houses.  But  this  is  com- 
pensated for  in  the  low  price  of  necessary  articles  of  living.  All 
the  railroads  leading  into  the  city  run  through  thickly  wooded 
sections  of  the  State,  and  all  save  one  have  coal  fields  on  their 
line.  In  the  matter  of  fuel  alone  it  is  safe  to  assert  there  is  a 
difference  of  fifty  cents  per  ton  in  coal  at  retail  in  favor  of  Rich- 
mond consumers  the  year  round,  as  compared  with  northern 
trade  centres.  In  wood  there  is  about  four  times  this  margin. 
Live  stock  raising  is  a large  industry  in  the  western  and  south- 
western portions  of  the  State  particularly,  and  the  price  of  meats 
averages  much  below  the  cost  in  cities  north  of  us.  In  vegeta- 
bles, owing  to  the  fact  that  the  surrounding  country  is  one  vast 
market  garden,  the  price  is  reduced  almost  to  a minimum.  The 
fish  and  oyster  supply  is  unlimited,  and  is  accessible  by  both  the 
York  and  the  James  rivers.  Shad  run  to  our  very  wharves,  and 
the  river  above  the  city  is  well  stocked  with  game  fishes.  From 
the  mountains,  in  season,  is  brought  a plentiful  supply  of  venison. 
To  revert  to  the  matter  of  rents,  however,  as  before  indicated,  on 
all  the  suburbs  there  are  most  advantageous  building  sites  to  be 
purchased  cheaply,  and  which,  it  may  be  added,  offer  induce- 
ments to  build,  not  only  for  individual  occupancy,  but  for  rental. 
In  view  of  the  abundance  of  brick-clay,  granite,  timber  and 
other  material  used  in  building,  contiguous  to  the  city,  capital 
could  find  no  better  investment  than  in  small  houses  for  artizans 


10 


RICHMOND,  VIRGINIA. 


and  others  in  moderate  circumstances.  It  is  demonstrable,  con- 
sidering the  low  price  of  ground,  that  a given  number  of  such 
houses,  which  in  Philadelphia,  for  instance,  would  yield  from 
three  to  four  per  cent,  upon  the  investment,  would  in  Richmond 
yield  six  or  seven  per  cent. 

CHARACTER  OF  THE  PEOPLE. 

The  people  of  Richmond  are  notably  law-abiding  and  hospi- 
table. To  strangers  they  show  every  courtesy,  business  and 
social,  and  are  ever  ready  to  extend  a warm  welcome  to  any  who 
may  desire  to  settle  in  their  midst.  There  are  three  large  clubs, 
the  Commercial,  the  Richmond  and  the  Westmoreland,  and 
several  minor  clubs,  the  doors  of  which  are  open  to  all  visitors 
who  may  be  properly  introduced,  and  where  the  best  elements  of 
business  and  society  circles  are  met  with. 

PUBLICATIONS  AND  LIBRARY  FACILITIES. 

There  are  five  daily  papers  in  Richmond — the  Dispatch , the 
Whig , the  Siaats- Gazette,  the  Zietung , (the  two  latter  German), 
morning,  and  the  State , evening.  The  religious  papers  are,  the 
Central  Presbyterian , the  Southern  Churchman  t.  Episcopal),  the 
Catholic  Visitor,  the  Christian  Advocate  (Methodist),  and  the 
Religious  Herald  (Baptist).  The  periodicals  are  the  Virginia 
Medical  Monthly,  the  Southern  Clinic,  the  Southern  Planter, 
the  Souther n Pulpit,  the  Southern  Historical  Society  Papers, 
and  the  Virginia  Educatio7ial  Journal.  There  are  also  sev- 
eral literary,  news  and  trade  weeklies,  including  the  Indus- 
trial South,  the  Commercial  and  Tobacco  Leaf,  Every  Satur- 
day, the  Star,  and  the  Trade  Journal  and  Hotel  Reporter. 
The  library  facilities  are  the  State,  the  Court  of  Appeals,  the 
Young  Men’s  Christian  Association,  the  Richmond  College,  and 
several  smaller  libraries.  The  principal  places  of  amusement 
are  the  Richmond  Theatre  and  Mozart  Hall,  and  a joint  stock 
company  is  being  formed  to  erect  a handsome  Opera  House. 
The  Mozart  Association  was  organized  as  a glee  club  several 
years  ago,  and  now  has  five  hundred  contributing  members. 
Concerts  or  parlor  operas,  in  which  are  engaged  the  best  amateur 
and  professional  musical  talent  in  the  city,  are  given  weekly. 


CHAPTER  II. 


MEANS  OF  TRANSPORTATION. 

THE  PAST  AND  THE  PRESENT— THE  VARIOUS  RAILROAD 
SYSTEMS— THE  COUNTRY  DRAINED  BY  THEM— WATER 
COMMUNICATION. 

Before  presenting  the  claims  and  advantages  of  Richmond  as 
a commercial  and  manufacturing  centre,  there  are  several  points 
to  be  submitted  in  anticipation  of  the  obvious  question,  “ Why 
has  not  progress  in  these  directions  been  more  rapid  ?”  This 
is  easily  accounted  for.  When  the  facts  are  weighed,  it  will,  we 
are  confident,  be  admitted  that  under  the  circumstances  the  city’s 
recuperation  and  development  have  been  unprecedented.  Vir- 
ginia, in  common  with  the  South  in  general,  was,  prior  to  the 
war,  an  agricultural  country  by  distinction.  The  comfort  of  the 
people  was  so  universal,  that  there  was  little  disposition  to  em- 
bark much  in  manufactures,  or  any  business  conducted  on  a 
large  scale,  except  as  hereinafter  noted.  With  the  abolition  of 
slavery,  bearing  as  it  did  so  severely  upon  the  farming  in- 
terest, the  Energies  of  the  people  had  to  be  directed  to  new  call- 
ings. The  accommodation  to  this  state  of  things  was  necessarily 
gradual,  yet  our  men  are  now  found  in  every  line  of  business ; 
and  it  is  not  too  much  to  assert  that  what  has  already  been 
accomplished  gives  promise  of  a splendid  future.  As  for  Rich- 
mond itself,  seventeen  years  ago  the  whole  business  portion 
was  in  ashes  and  without  insurance.  The  principle  streets 
were  impassable  for  vehicles,  and  the  people  were  without 
a medium  of  exchange.  Utter  ruin,  financially,  was  the  rule. 
What  capital  could  be  borrowed,  or  in  any  way  realized  from 
the  wreck,  had  to  be  invested  in  rebuilding,  or  in  business 
ventures,  which,  through  immediate  demand,  would  insure  the 
quickest  profit.  Business  men  had  literally  to  begin  at  the 


12 


RICHMOND,  VIRGINIA. 


bottom,  and,  what  is  more,  become  used  to  a manner  of  doing 
business  which  was  entirely  new  to  their  experience.  Fur- 
ther, until  within  the  last  few  years,  railroad  connections  were 
incomplete,  as  far  as  any  extended  territory  for  profitable  distri- 
bution was  concerned,  and  what  territory  was  accessible  was  barred 
against  Richmond  trade  by  the  railroad  discriminations  in  favor 
of  other  points.  Every  influence  that  could  be  exerted,  was  ex- 
erted to  the  utmost  to  drive  the  Southern  trade  to  cities  further 
north.  The  task  of  overcoming  these  obstacles  was  a herculean 
one,  but  will  and  energy  have  accomplished  it.  Steadily  and  con- 
servatively business  has  been  pushed  until,  against  the  condition 
of  affairs  above  cited,  Richmond  shows  to-day,  a business  quarter 
handsomely  and  substantially  rebuilt,  a credit  that  would  be  an 
honor  to  any  community,  an  immense  and  constantly  increasing 
wholesale  trade,  and  a manufacturing  interest  which,  in  1881,  was 
represented  by  nearly  $33,000,000  of  sales.  The  enterprise,  bus- 
iness tact,  and  public  spirit  of  the  people  have  finally  compelled, 
a recognition  of  the  importance  of  the  city  as  a distributing  centre 
for  the  South  and  West,  and  the  result  is  that  it  is  the  point  of 
radiation  for  six  railroads,  which  separately  or  as  parts  of  great 
trunk  lines  or  systems,  bring  it  in  connection  with  and  ramify  every 
portion  of  the  Union.  From  the  wharves  in  Rocketts,  and  from’ 
Newports  News,  and  West  Point — deep  water  outlets  for  and 
tributaries  to  Richmond  commerce, — there  are  also  facilities  for 
reaching  by  both  sailing  vessels  and  steamers  all  the  important 
home  and  foreign  ports.  In  order  to  convey  an  adequate  idea 
of  the  relations  of  Richmond  to  the  fields  of  trade  demand  and 
supply,  let  us  take  a brief  glance  at  the  railroad  systems  and  other 
lines  of  transportion  centering  here. 

RICHMOND  AND  DANVILLE  RAILROAD  SYSTEM. 

This  system  (see  accompanying  map)  controls  through  owner- 
ship and  lease  2,006.50  miles  of  trackage,  as  follows : Richmond 
and  * Danville  Railroad,  main  line  and  branches,  Richmond  to 
Danville,  Va.,  152  miles;  Piedmont  Railroad,  Danville,  Va.,  to 
Greensboro,  N.  C.,  49  miles;  North  Carolina  Railroad,  Golds- 
boro to  Charlotte,  N.  C.,  223  miles;  North  Western  North  Caro- 
lina Railroad,  Greensboro  to  Salem,  N.  C.,  25  miles;  Charlotte, 


RICHMOND,  VIRGINIA. 


13 


'Columbia  and  Augusta  Railroad,  Charlotte,  N.  C.,  to  Augusta, 
Ga.,  191  miles;  Western  North  Carolina  Railroad,  Salisbury,  N. 
C.,  to  Paint  Rock,  Tenn.,  186  miles;  Columbia  and  Greensville 
Railroad  and  branches,  Columbia,  S.  C.,  to  Greensville,  S.  C., 
296  miles;  Knoxville  and  Augusta  Railroad,  Knoxville,  Tenn., 
to  Maysville,  Tenn.,  16  miles;  Atlanta  and  Charlotte  Air-Line 
Railway,  Charlotte,  N.  C.,  to  Atlanta,  Ga.,  288  miles;  North 
Eastern  Railroad  of  Georgia,  Lulu,  Ga.,  to  Athens,  Ga.,  40  miles ; 
Elberton  Air- Line  Railway,  Elberton,  Ga.,  to  Toccoa,  Ga.,  51 
miles;  Spartansburg  and  Ashville  Railroad,  Spartansburg,  S. 
C.,  to  Henderson,  N.  C.,  50  miles;  Richmond,  York  River 
and  Chesapeake  Railroad,  Richmond  to  West  Point,  Va.,  39 
miles;  Virginia  Midland  Railway,  Danville,  Va.,  to  Alexandria, 
Va.,  400.50  miles.  From  Richmond  the  line  passes  through 
the  coalfields  and  granite  formations  of  Chesterfield,  crossing  the 
Norfolk  and  Western  (from  Norfolk  via  Farmville  and  Lynch- 
burg, and  onward  through  southwestern  Virginia)  at  Burke- 
ville.  Thence  almost  in  a direct  line  through  the  grain  and 
tobacco  districts  to  Danville — the  terminus  of  the  old  main 
line.  At  Danville  it  connects  with  the  Virginia  Midland  north. 
Southwardly  the  system  extends  over  the  North  Carolina  Rail- 
road to  Charlotte,  N.  C.,  thence  dividing,  with  one  line  to  Au- 
gusta, Ga.,  and  the  other  to  Atlanta,  Ga.  From  Atlanta,  Ga., 
the  line  under  construction  is  projected  through  Birmingham 
and  the  Black  Warrier  coal-fields  of  North  Alabama,  across  the 
Mississippi  river  to  Texarcana,  Texas,  to  connect  at  that  point 
with  the  Texas,  Mexican  and  California  Railroad  lines. 

In  North  Carolina  and  South  Carolina  the  system  intersects 
the  leading  lines,  finished  and  projected,  from  east  to  west,  its  cross 
lines  and  feeders  draining  the  entire  Piedmont  sections,  not  only 
of  Virginia,  but  of  North  Carolina  and  South  Carolina,  bringing 
the  principal  towns  and  cities  in  these  sections  some  two  hundred 
miles  nearer  to  Richmond  than  to  any  Northern  city  seeking 
Southern  trade.  The  system  runs,  also  in  the  most  direct  route 
through  the  fine  tobacco  district  of  North  Carolina,  and  the 
great  cotton  belts  of  South  Carolina  and  Georgia,  and  has  under 
natural  tribute  for  outlet  the  inexhaustible  mineral  deposits  of  the 
three  latter  States,  together  with  the  products  of  their  forests. 
The  Western  North  Carolina  railroad  from  Salisbury,  on  the 


14 


RICHMOND,  VIRGINIA. 


main  stem  to  Paint  Rock,  Tennessee,  from  which  point  it  is. 
projected  to  Morristown,  in  that  State,  is  an  especially  important 
feeder,  opening  up,  not  only  the  most  picturesque  portion  of 
North  Carolina,  but  a most  valuable  country  both  in  point  of 
agricultural  and  mineral  products.  It  is  especially  a region  of 
marbles  of  all  shades.  At  Richmond  and  West  Point  the  system 
has  water  connection  with  all  the  principal  Northern  ports,  and 
wharfage  capacity  and  depth  of  water  sufficient  for  direct  ship- 
ment to  all  foreign  countries. 

CHESAPEAKE  AND  OHIO  RAILWAY  SYSTEM. 

The  Chesapeake  and  Ohio  system  proper  (see  map)  has  under 
trackage  1,121  miles — Chesapeake  and  Ohio  railway,  Richmond, 
Va.,  to  Huntington,  West  Va  , 420  miles ; Newports  News  line, 
Richmond  to  Newports  News,  75  miles;  Elizabethtown,  Lexing- 
ton and  Big  Sandy  railway,  Huntington,  West  Va.,  to  Lexington, 
Ky.,  140  miles;  Louisville  and  Nashville  railroad,  Lexington, 
Ky.,  to  Louisville,  Ky.,  94  miles ; Chesapeake  and  Ohio  and 
Southwest  railway,  Louisville,  Ky  , to  Memphis,  Tenn.,392  miles. 
At  Memphis  it  connects  with  the  Memphis  and  Little  Rock  rail- 
road to  Little  Rock,  where  connection  is  made  with  Gould’s  sys- 
tem to  El  Paso,  on  the  Southern  Pacific,  running  through  to  San 
Lrancisco,  Cal.,  and  giving  the  most  direct  route  to  the  Golden 
Gate,  as  attested  by  the  shipments  via  Richmond  from  New 
York.  In  addition  to  what  has  been  denominated  as  the  Chesa- 
peake and  Ohio  railway  system  proper,  the  Northwestern  system 
runs  from  Lexington,  Ky.,  to  Covington,  Ky.,  (Cincinnati),  99 
miles;  from  Cincinnati  over  the  C.  I.,  St.  L.  and  C.  line  to 
Kankakee,  253  miles,  connecting  with  the  Illinois  Central,  56 
miles,  to  Chicago — making  the  comparative  distances  between 
Atlantic  ports  and  principal  Western  railroad  centres  by  the 
Chesapeake  and  Ohio  system  and  its  projected  connections,  and 
by  other  trunk  lines,  as  follows  : 


RICHMOND,  VIRGINIA. 


15 


MILES  FROM  PORT  OF— 


Richmond,  via  Ches.  and  Ohio.... 

Baltimore,  via  Balt,  and  Ohio 

Philadelphia,  via  Penn,  railroad... 

New  York,  via  Erie  railway 

New  York,  via  N.  Y.  Central 

Boston,  via  N.  Y.  Central 


d 

c/i 

JV 

c/5 

c/f 

Si 

O 

a 

CvJ 

O 

> 

C/3 

A 

1< 

C5 

aJ 

u 

u 

A 

in 

QJ 

§ 

CS 

£ 

O 

O 

"C 

0 

Q 

O 

O 

O 

O 

O 

O 

O 

H 

r_l 

H 

573 

643 

913 

1020 

S28 

564 

688 

832 

5§9 

696 

929 

1073 

881 

513 

705 

839 

668 

OO 

964 

1155 

963 

548 

736 

823 

861 

VO 

00 

00 

1201 

1365 

ii73 

755 

935 

983 

883 

940 

1144 

1393 

1176 

761 

830 

980 

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Q\ 

998 

' 

1202 

1426 

1234 

829 

888 

1038 

The  line  runs  in  Virginia  and  West  Virginia  from  Richmond 
via  Gordonsville,  Charlottesville  and  Staunton  to  the  Ohio  river. 
It  drains  the  upland  tobacco,  corn  and  wheat  sections  of  Eastern 
Virginia,  the  great  granaries  of  “ the  great  Valley,”  bisecting  the 
vast  coal  basins  of  West  Virginia,  and  pierces  the  very  heart  of 
some  of  the  most  extensive  beds  of  iron  and  other  ores  in  the 
whole  southern  country.  The  coal  supply,  contiguous  to  the 
road,  is  practically  beyond  computation,  and  the  expense  of 
mining  is  reduced  to  a minimum  compared  with  the  cost  in  many 
other  fields.  Shaft  work,  usually  such  a heavy  charge,  is  un- 
known, except  for  air  holes,  which  can  be  sunk  for  a trifling  sum. 
The  character  of  the  coals  are  bituminous,  and  semi-bituminous 
viz : Cannel,  splint,  gas,  and  pure  bituminous  steam  coals — the 
superior  quality  of  which,  for  domestic  use  and  the  various  me- 
chanic arts  for  which  they  are  severally  adapted,  having  been 
well  established.  The  iron  ores  comprise  nearly  all  the  va- 
rieties used  in  the  manufacture  of  iron  and  steel  Along  the 
line  of  the  road  are  also  immense  stretches  of  virgin  forest,  the 
timber  consisting  of  oak,  yellow  poplar,  black  walnut,  hickory, 
cherry,  sycamore,  pine,  and  other  varieties  in  demand  for  manu- 
facturing purposes.  It  has  been  proven  by  actual  working,  and  is 


16 


RICHMOND,  VIRGINIA. 


now  not  disputed,  that  iron  can  be  manufactured  from  the  ore 
along  the  Chesapeake  and  Ohio  railway  at  a lower  cost  than  in 
any  other  portion  of  the  country — a fact  that  has  already  led  to 
numerous  plants  being  made  by  Northern  and  English  capital- 
ists, and  created  a valuable  source  of  demand  upon  Richmond, 
as  well  as  a source  of  supply  for  her  manufactures.  Near  Char- 
lottesville the  road  crosses  the  Virginia  Midland  from  Danville 
to  Alexandria;  at  Waynesboro’,  just  west  of  the  Blue  Ridge, 
the  Shenandoah  Valley  from  Hagerstown,  Maryland,  to  Roan- 
oke, Virginia,  on  the  Norfolk  and  Western  railroad;  and  at 
Staunton  the  Valley  railroad  from  Harper’s  Ferry  to  Lexington, 
Virginia,  all  of  which  traverse  rich  and  populous  sections  of  coun- 
try. In  a picturesque  point  of  view  the  country  from  the  eastern 
slope  of  the  Blue  Ridge  to  Huntington  is  nowhere  excelled. 
Westward  and  south-westward  from  Huntington  the  line  passes 
through  Blue  Grass  country,  and  lays  under  tribute  an  immense 
grain  and  tobacco  growing  area.  The  wheat  of  this  section  is 
particularly  suited  to  the  needs  of  the  large  milling  interest  of 
the  city,  in  the  manufacture  of  the  celebrated  Richmond  brands 
of  flour  which  have  held  for  nearly  a century  the  chief  place 
in  the  South  American  trade.  By  its  northwestern  connec- 
tions, as  shown  in  the  comparative  table  of  distances,  it  also 
reaches  by  short  and  direct  route  and  low  grades  the  great  north- 
western grain  centres.  The  Newports  News  extension,  though  but 
recently  completed,  is  the  realization  of  the  dream  of  years  of 
those  who  have  studied  the  interests  of  Richmond  and  Virginia. 
Here  the  system  has  immense  wharves  and  warehouses,  and  owns 
a water  front  capable  of  accommodating  any  conceivable  demand 
of  shipping.  The  depth  of  water  is  sufficient  to  float  the  largest 
vessels.  The  line  drains  a country  hitherto  cut  off  from  railroad 
communication  with  any  point. 

RICHMOND  AND  ALLEGHANY  RAILROAD. 

The  Richmond  and  Alleghany  railroad  follows  the  line  of  the 
old  James  River  and  Kanawha  canal — the  initial  link  of  Washing- 
ton’s favorite  scheme  for  mingling  the  waters  of  the  James  and 
Ohio  rivers — from  Richmond  through  Scottsville,  Columbia  and 
Lynchburg,  to  Buchanan,  thence  to  Williamson’s,  on  the  Ches- 
apeake and  Ohio  railway,  230.31  miles,  with  branch  line  to 


RICHMOND,  VIRGINIA. 


17 


Balcony  Falls,  174.50  miles  west  of  Richmond,  to  Lexington, 
Rockbridge  county,  Virginia,  19.38  miles.  It  also  has  under 
lease  the  Henrico  railroad,  which  connects  with  its  main  line  a 
short  distance  above  Richmond,  and  passes  through  the  Henrico 
coal-fields  to  Hungary  station  on  the  Richmond,  Fredericksburg 
and  Potomac  railroad.  The  total  trackage  finished  and  operated 
is  260.09  miles.  The  road  was  chartered  February  27,  1879,  and 
drains  the  beautiful  James  River  Valley — the  garden  spot  of 
Virginia — which,  prior  to  its  completion,  was  off  the  line  of 
any  railway.  The  agricultural  districts  contiguous  to  the  road 
are  unsurpassed  for  richness  and  variety  of  product  by  any 
section  of  the  whole  country,  while  the  mineral  deposits  along 
the  road,  and  demanding  an  outlet  by  it,  are  exceptionally  ex- 
tensive. In  iron  ores  the  Janies  River  Valley  especially  empha- 
sises the  statement  of  Wiley,  that  “ Pennsylvania,  rich  as  she  is, 
is  poor  in  iron  ores  compared  with  Virginia  ” Some  years  ago 
Professor  Rogers,  late  Emeritus  Professor  in  the  Massachusetts 
Institute  of  Technology,  published  a most  valuable  and  a stand- 
ard series  of  reports  on  the  Geological  Formations  of  Virginia, 
in  which  the  inexhaustible  mineral  wealth  of  the  State  was 
fully  classified  and  demonstrated,  but  it  has  been  left  for  John  L. 
Campbell,  A.  M.,  LL.  D.,  Professor  of  Geology  and  Mineral- 
ogy, at  Washington  and  Lee  University,  to  illustrate  the  prepon- 
derating mineral  wealth  of  the  James  River  Valley.  Professor 
Campbell’s  explorations  represent  months  of  patient  mental  toil 
and  physical  exertion,  and  his  opinions  have  been  formed,  as  he 
states,  without  reference  to  the  interests  of  any  individual  or  com- 
pany, but  solely  in  the  interests  of  science,  and  of  the  State  of 
Virginia.  He  may  be  said  to  have  literally  investigated  the 
mineral  deposits  accessible  by  the  road,  step  by  step  The  work 
was  accomplished  before  the  road  was  completed,  and  in  his 
report  Professor  Campbell  says : 

“ My  leading  purpose  is  to  elucidate  and  enforce  the  following 
two  or  three  fundamental  facts:  (1)  The  canal  and  its  railway 
connection  traverse  every  one  of  the  five  great  ore-bearing  geo- 
logical formations  of  Virginia,  and  one  of  the  finest  limestone 
regions  in  America.  (2)  In  these  formations,  or  belts,  we  find 
in  great  abundance  and  of  superior  quality,  every  variety  of  ore 
that  is  profitably  worked  for  iron  anywhere  in  the  world,  with  the 


18 


RICHMOND,  VIRGINIA. 


exception  of  the  carbonates,  like  the  “clay  iron-stones”  and 
“ black  band’  ores  of  England,  which  are  impure  carbonates 
found  in  the  coal  regions.  (3)  Other  minerals,  besides  iron  ores, 
that  promise  to  become  sources  of  revenue  to  the  State  as  well 
as  to  the  Company,  abound  in  this  valley.” 

This  he  does  in  the  clearest  and  most  satisfactory  manner 
dividing  the  ores  into  five  belts,  giving  assays  of  specimens  from 
each  belt,  and  showing  that  limestones  hitherto  employed  so 
successfully  for  fluxing,  are  found  in  close  proximity  to  all  the 
deposits.  Fuel  is  the  only  thing  to  be  transported  any  distance 
in  order  to  reduce  these  ores  and  that  is  accessible  in  any  quan- 
tity, through  the  connection  of  the  line  at  Williamson’s  with  the 
Chesapeake  and  Ohio  Railway.  Besides  this  the  Richmond  and 
Alleghany  is  already  projected  to  Pittsburg,  Pa.,  through  other 
extensive  coal  deposits.  In  addition  to  iron  ores,  there  are  near 
to  the  line  or  immediately  upon  it,  kaolin,  sand  of  a superior 
quality  for  making  glass,  the  manganese  and  copper  ores  of  Nel- 
son and  Amherst  counties,  the  barytes  of  Botetourt  and  Rock- 
bridge counties,  the  partially  worked  gold  mines  of  Fluvanna, 
Buckingham  and  Appomattox,  the  granite  quarries  above  Rich- 
mond, and  the  slate  quarries  of  Buckingham.  Since  the  road 
has  been  in  operation  there  has  been  quite  an  influx  of  settlers 
to  some  of  the  counties  through  which  it  passes — which  has  made 
itself  most  perceptibly  felt  upon  Richmond  trade.  Among  the 
property  acquired  by  the  railroad  company  in  the  transfer  of  the 
franchises  of  the  James  River  and  Kanawha  Canal  Company  were 
6,800  feet  of  available  dockage  on  the  river  front  of  the  lower 
portion  of  the  city,  together  with  one  of  the  most  valuable  water 
powers  in  the  Union.  The  connection  with  the  Norfolk  and 
Western  system  at  Fynchburg,  is  also  a great  acquisition  to  Rich- 
mond. This  line  runs  through  Liberty,  Salem,  the  iron,  lead  and 
zinc  formations,  and  the  rich  pasture  lands  and  forests  of  south- 
western Virginia,  into  East  Tennessee,  giving  another  great  sys- 
tem to  the  West,  and  with  the  Chesapeake  and  Ohio,  and  the 
Alleghany  connection  with  that  road  at  Williamson’s,  an  advan- 
tage in  the  matter  of  grades  that  is  beyond  dispute.  This  single 
item  is  of  incalculable  value  and  importance  to  Richmond.  The 
grades  of  the  Richmond  and  Alleghany  between  Lynchburg  and 
Richmond  average  but  four  feet  to  the  mile. 


RICHMOND,  VIRGINIA. 


19 


THE  ATLANTIC  COAST  LINE. 

The  Atlantic  Coast  Line  system  (see  map)  is  the  second 
great  trunk  line  connecting  Richmond  with  the  South.  The 
total  trackage  from  Richmond  south  controlled  by  the  system 
is  566  miles,  as  follows : Richmond  and  Petersburg  railroad, 
Richmond,  Va.,  to  Petersburg,  Va.,  25  miles;  Petersburg  rail- 
road, Petersburg  to  Weldon,  N.  C.,  65  miles ; Wilmington  and 
Weldon  railroad  and  Tarboro’  Branch,  Weldon,  N.  C.,  to 
Wilmington,  N.  C.,  182  miles;  Wilmington,  Columbia  and 
Augusta  railroad,  Wilmington,  N.  C.,  to  Columbia,  S.  C., 
192  miles;  Northeastern  railroad,  Florence,  S.  C.,  to  Charles- 
ton, S.  C.,  102  miles.  At  Charleston  the  system  connects 
with  the  Charleston  and  Savannah  railroad,  from  Charleston,  S. 
C.,  to  Savannah,  Ga.,  115  miles;  thence  over  the  Savannah, 
Florida  and  Western  railroad  to  Jacksonville,  Fla.,  172  miles. 
The  line  crosses  the  Norfolk  and  Western  system  at  Petersburg, 
the  Seaboard  and  Roanoke  railroad  at  Weldon,  and  passes  via 
Goldsboro’,  on  the  Richmond  and  Danville  system,  through  the 
immense  pine  stretches  of  North  Carolina  and  the  lower  cotton 
belts  of  South  Carolina  and  Georgia.  Through  its  cross  lines  and 
connections  it  must  draw  the  entire  traffic  to  the  east  in  the  three 
last  named  States  ; while  to  the  west  it  drains  the  whole  country 
between  it  and  the  Danville  system  not  tributary  to  the  latter. 
In  the  logic  of  trade  and  traffic  these  two  systems  must  make 
Richmond  their  natural  base  of  supply,  and  reciprocally  the 
depot  of  concentration,  for  the  shipment  or  distribution  else- 
where, in  manufactured  or  crude  form,  of  their  overplus  of  raw 
material.  At  Chester,  Va.,  on  the  Richmond  and  Petersburg 
railroad,  the  system  crosses  the  Brighthope  railroad,  extending 
from  Bermuda  Hundreds,  on  James  river,  to  the  Brighthope  coal 
district,  in  Chesterfield  county.  The  country  along  the  line  of  the 
road  depends  altogether  upon  Richmond  for  its  supplies.  The 
lands  in  this  region,  having  a triassic  basis,  are  admirably  adapted 
to  the  production  of  cigar  (“Seed  leaf”)  tobacco,  when  the  pro- 
duction of  that  special  type  shall  be  added  to  those  which  have 
already  made  Virginia  famous  as  a tobacco  State. 


20 


RICHMOND,  VIRGINIA. 


RICHMOND, FREDERICKSBURG  AND  POTOMAC  RAILROAD. 

This  is  the  great  short  line  from  Richmond  via  Fredericks- 
burg to  Ouantico,  on  the  Potomac  river,  82  miles  from  Rich- 
mond, connecting  at  Quantico  with  the  Pennsylvania  system  to 
Washington,  34  miles,  thence  to  New  York,  Boston,  and  the  New 
England  manufacturing  centres.  It  passes  in  Virginia  through 
many  of  the  important  battle-fields  of  the  late  war,  and  connects 
at  Richmond  with  the  short  line  south  and  southwest  for  pas- 
senger traffic.  By  it  our  jobbers  have  the  most  direct  and 
quickest  route  for  obtaining,  by  fast  freight  and  express,  from  the 
North  what  is  not  supplied  by  the  Richmond  manufactories. 
There  are  three  through  passenger  trains  over  it  each  way  daily, 
and  it  is  one  of  the  best  equipped  and  safest  roads  in  the  Union. 
Over  this  line  the  tobacco  manufacturers  of  Richmond  receive 
the  bulk  of  the  famous  leaf,  known  as  the  “ Caroline  Sun-cured,” 
which  leaf  furnishes  the  stock  for  the  finest  grades  of  plug  to- 
bacco made  in  the  world. 

WATER  COMMUNICATION. 

The  wharf  frontage  improved  at  Rocketts,  the  lower  end 
of  the  city,  is  3,000  feet  on  the  north  side,  and  1,500  feet  on  the 
south  side  of  James  river.  That  of  the  Chesapeake  and  Ohio 
Railroad  Company  just  below  the  city  is  1,000  feet,  add  to  this 
the  6,800  feet  of  dockage  controlled  by  the  Richmond  and  Alle- 
ghany Railroad  Company,  and  we  have  a grand  total  of  12,300 
feet.  This  wharfage  capacity  can  be  extended  indefinitely.  The 
depth  of  water  in  the  dock  is  fourteen  feet,  sufficient  to  float  the 
majority  of  coasting  vessels.  The  depth  in  the  river  over  the 
bar  is  eighteen  feet.  In  this  connection,  however,  it  should  be 
noted  that  Congress  authorized  a special  commission  of  army 
engineer-officers  to  make  a survey  of  the  James  river,  with  a 
view  to  the  increase  of  its  depth  to  twenty-four  feet.  They  have 
made  their  report,  and  declare  it  entirely  feasible.  Such  depth 
of  water  is  desired  not  only  for  our  export  trade,  but  for  the 
entrance  of  raw  material  by  sail  vessels  for  use  in  our  manufac- 
tories. This  work  of  improvement  has  been  pushed  forward  with 
energy,  each  year  showing  a greater  depth  of  water.  The  regu- 
lar lines  of  steamers  from  Richmond,  exclusive  of  the  river  line 


RICHMOND,  VIRGINIA. 


21 


to  Norfolk,  are  the  Old  Dominion  for  New  York,  the  Powhatan 
for  Baltimore,  and  the  Clyde  line  for  Philadelphia.  From  West 
Point,  the  Old  Dominion  for  New  York,  the  Boston  and  Provi- 
dence for  Boston,  and  the  York  River  line  for  Baltimore.  From 
Newports  News  the  Brazilian  and  United  States  mail  steamship 
line.  In  order  to  give  a fair  idea,  however,  of  the  facilities  af- 
forded Richmond,  in  the  way  of  water  transportation,  we  have 
recourse  to  the  Report  of  the  Harbor  Master  for  the  year  1881. 
Number  of  vessels  arriving  at  Port  of  Richmond:  steamers  560, 
capacity  490,000  tons;  sailing  vessels,  861,  tonnage  205,000; 
class:  barks,  48;  brigs,  35;  schooners,  778.  This  does  not  in- 
clude river  steamers,  tug-boats  or  small  sailing  vessels. 


CHAPTER  III. 


GENERAL  MANUFACTURING  EXHIBIT. 

CAPITAL  INVESTED,  HANDS  EMPLOYED,  AGGREGATE 
SALES,  SPECIAL  ADVANTAGES,  WATER  AND  STEAM 
POWER,  LABOR  SUPPLY,  RAW  MATERIAL  AVAILABLE, 
FOSTERING  AUXILIARIES. 

The  manufacturing  labored,  if  possible,  under  greater  disad- 
vantages, after  the  war,  than  any  other  Richmond  interest. 
Nevertheless,  its  progress  has  been  most  rapid  and  successful. 
Taking  the  statistics  for  1881  as  compiled  for  the  annual  trade 
edition  of  the  Richmond  Dispatch,  we  have  the  following  showing 
as  regards  kinds  of  manufactories  in  operation,  capital  in  busi- 
ness, and  annual  sales : 


Kind  of  Manufactories. 


Agricultural  implements,  machinery,  &c... 

Ale,  beer  and  mineral  waters 

Bags  and  cotton  bagging 

Bakers 

Bark  and  sumac 

Barrels  and  hogsheads 

Blacksmiths  and  wheelwrights 

Blank-books,  paper-boxes  and  paper-bags. 
Boots,  shoes,  leather,  and  leather  goods.... 

Boxes,  cigar,  tobacco  and  packing 

Brand  and  stencil  cutters 

Bricks 

Brooms,  wood  and  willow-ware 

Burial-caskets 

Candy  and  confections 

Carriages,  wagons,  carts,  &c .... 


U 


$ 186,500 

27.500 
60,000 

75, 100 

153.000 
32,840 

9,800 

1 15.000 
195,210 

164.000 
700 

105.000 
142,500 

5,000 

77.500 
122,425 


ju 

in 


< 

$ 510,000 

39.000 
94,980 

241,200 

242,300 

461.800 
95400 

395,7oo 

916.800 
338,400 

3,3oo 

160,000 

400,250 

15.000 
396>5°° 
201,450 


RICHMOND,  VIRGINIA. 


23 


TABLE — Continued. 


Kind  of  Manufactories. 

Capital  in  Business. 

Annual  Sales. 

Carpenters  and  builders 

$ 50,500 

$ 324,900 

Cigars  and  cigarettes 

324,915 

1,346,025 

Coffee,  spice  and  flavoring  mills 

48,000 

235,000 

Clothing,  and  merchant-tailors 

203,300 

490,500 

Cotton  factories 

280,000 

410,000 

Drugs,  medicines,  meat-juice  and  bitters 

298,200 

982,300 

Dveing  and  bleaching 

8,000 

23,500 

Earthen  and  stone-ware 

5,5oo 

12,000 

Engraving  on  wood  and  lithographing 

29,000 

64,000 

Fertilizers 

690,000 

1,150,000 

Flour  and  corn-meal 

L33L5oo 

3,148,661 

Furniture,  mattresses,  &c 

III  ,000 

306,000 

Granite-works 

395,ooo 

301,500 

Gunsmiths  and  sporting  apparatus 

12,100 

20,500 

Hair-workers 

1 1 ,500 

37,000 

Iron  and  nail  works,  machine  works,  foun- 

dries,  stove  works,  architectural  iron  works, 
tobacco  fixtures,  &c 

1,642,000 

5,337,590 

Lubricators,  oil  and  grease 

28,000 

82,000 

Marble  and  stone  works 

23,000 

74,000 

Nets  and  seines 

6,000 

7,000 

Newspapers  and  job  printers..... 

181,300 

392,500 

Paper  mills 

125,000 

190,000 

Picture  frames  and  ornamental  wood-work... 

67,000 

176,500 

Pork  packing 

115,000 

1,300,000 

Rectifiers 

40,000 

218,000 

Saddles,  harness  and  horse  collars 

73,350 

iS2,6oo 

Sash,  blinds,  doors,  &c 

112,000 

449,900 

Saw,  wire  and  mill-fixture  works 

17,000 

51.50° 

Slate  works 

40,000 

50,000 

Soap  and  candles 

40,000 

65,500 

Sulphuric  acid  and  sulphate  ot  ammonia 

20,000 

10,000 

Tanners 

30,000 

70,500 

Tin-ware,  gas-fittings  and  plumbing 

140,975 

446,700 

Tobacco — chewing  and  smoking 

Tobacco — stemmeries  and  reprizers 

2,831,000 

9,071,000 

420,000 

825,000 

Trunks  and  valises 

10,000 

46,000 

Type  foundry...  

10,000 

41,500 

Lmderwear — ladies  and  gentlemen 

78,500 

351,000 

Totals 

$11,320,815 

$32,802,756 

24 


RICHMOND,  VIRGINIA. 


The  total  number  of  manufactories  was  675.  Total  number 
of  hands  permanently  employed  17,648 — an  increase  in  opera- 
tives over  the  year  1880  of  716.  The  increase  of  annual  sales 
over  1880  was  $8,097,864,  or  about  33  per  cent.,  and  increase  of 
capital  invested  $2,628,198.  These  figures  do  not  include  a 
number  of  minor  establishments.  That  this,  however,  is  only  an 
earnest  of  Richmond’s  possibilities  as  a manufacturing  centre, 
let  us  present  seriatim  a few  points  which  must  strike  every 
practical  mind. 

FIRST— WATER  POWER  ADVANTAGES. 

* From  the  three-mile  lock,  on  the  line  of  the  Richmond  and 
Alleghany  railroad  to  tide-water,  there  is  a fall  of  84  feet.  With 
the  lowest  flow  of  the  river  to  be  expected,  in  a long  series  of 
years,  viz:  i,oco  cubic  feet  per  second,  this  fall  produces  9,500 
horse-power  theoretically,  of  which  7,600  can  be  made  available 
by  the  employment  of  the  best  turbine  wheels.  The  total  amount 
of  this  theoretical  power,  now  appropriated  and  put  to  use  by 
various  manufactories  in  Richmond  and  Manchester,  is  4,200;  the 
remainder  5,300  horse-power  theoretically,  or  4,160  actual,  can 
be  readily  and  economically  made  available.  From  Bosher’s 
Dam  to  tide-water  is  a fall  of  116  feet,  over  which  the  above  flow 
of  the  river  would  produce  13,500  theoretical  horse-power,  or 
10,000  actual.  The  water  shed  of  the  James  river  above  Rich- 
mond is  about  8,000  square  miles.  The  lowest  flow  given  above 
is  therefore  a yield  of  0.125  cubic  feet  per  second  from  each 
square  mile.  The  Connecticut  river,  with  about  the  same  water 
shed,  yields  at  Flolyoke,  Massachusetts,  about  0.30  cubic  feet  per 
second  per  square  mile,  as  the  lowest  flow,  and  the  Merrimac 
river  at  Lowell  is  relied  upon  for  more  than  double  this  rate  per 
square  mile.  A large  part  of  this  difference,  however,  is,  of 
course,  due  to  the  different  character  of  the  water  sheds,  but  still 
a large  part  to  the  fact  that  these  two  New  England  rivers,  and 
especially  the  Merrimac,  are  used  extensively  for  power  along- 
their  entire  length,  and  each  little  mill  acts,  to  some  extent,  as  a 
regulator.  The  James  river  with  its  thirteen  large  dams,  and 
eleven  minor  ones,  built  by  the  James  river  and  Kanawha 

* These  facts  were  expressly  compiled  for  this  publication  by  a com- 
petent hydrostatic  engineer. 


J >:  R.  J 


*)fK 


*re*Ear*r|  n mm  i 


RICHMOND,  VIRGINIA. 


25 


Canal  Company,  and  the  ten  dams  on  the  Rivanna  river,  one 
of  its  largest  tributaries,  possesses  great  facilities  for  the  in- 
crease of  the  lowest  flow,  which,  although  not  now  available, 
could  be  readily  made  so.  These  dams  form  a series  of 
ponds,  with  a total  surface  area  of  291,200,000  square  feet. 
If  one  foot  of  depth  were  available  for  storage,  this  would 
yield  16S  cubic  feet  per  second  for  a period  of  twenty  days, 
to  help  out  in  the  dry  season.  If  two  feet  were  available, 
the  quantity  would  be  doubled,  or  the  same  amount  spread 
over  twice  as  long  a time.  In  addition  to  this,  which  can 
be  immediately  and  cheaply  taken  advantage  of,  the  natural 
growth  ot  small  industries  along  the  Valley,  which  the  mineral 
and  agricultural  wealth  of  the  country  must  foster,  will  con- 
tinually tend  to  average  the  yearly  flow  of  the  river.  Again — 
the  character  of  the  upper  water  shed  of  the  river,  with  its 
numerous  tributaries,  flowing  long  distances  through  immense 
furrows,  between  parallel  ridges,  now  approaching  so  closely  as 
to  almost  bar  the  passage  of  the  stream,  and  at  other  points  form- 
ing wide  valleys,  makes  it  possible,  at  warrantable  expense,  to 
form  large  basins  for  storage. 

In  view  of  all  these  considerations,  it  is  a low  estimate  to  say  that 
the  James  river  can  be  made  to  yield,  as  it  can  be  put  to  use,  a 
total  of  20,000  effective  horse- power  over  the  Falls  between 
Bosher’s  Dam  and  tide-water.  The  amount  of  power  now  put 
to  use  at  Holyoke,  Mass.,  which  is  rated  as  the  largest  developed 
water-power  in  the  country,  may  be  estimated  as  between  8,000 
and  9,000  horse-power.  The  Hudson  River  Water-Power  and 
Paper  Manufacturing  Company  estimate  their  available  power  at 
6,000  horse-power,  and  claim  to  be  the  second  largest.  By  prop- 
erly planning  the  improvements  necessary  to  make  the  large 
reserve  of  power  available — improvements  which  the  south  side 
of  James  river  are  admirably  adapted  to  allow — the  whole  Falls 
plantation,  opposite  Rocketts,  could  be  converted  into  a manu- 
facturing plant — a plant  virtually  on  the  seaboard,  and  the  centre 
of  railroad  facilities. 

SECOND— STEAM-POWER  FACILITIES. 

It  is  only  necessary  to  glance  at  the  country  through  which  the 
various  railroad  lines  that  centre  at  Richmond  pass  to  see  that 


26 


RICHMOND,  VIRGINIA. 


steam-power  can  also  be  employed  at  the  minimum  cost.  The 
steam  coals  of  the  various  basins  are,  it  has  been  practically 
demonstrated,  of  the  best  and  most  economical  quality;  easily 
mined  and  cheaply  transported. 

THIRD— LABOR  SUPPLY. 

The  labor  supply  of  Richmond  is  equal  to  any  demand  and  of 
a character  easily  adapted  to  the  requirements  of  most  any  in- 
dustry. In  fact  nothing  has  more  clearly  and  satisfactorily 
demonstrated  the  resources  of  our  population — the  white  popu- 
lation particularly — than  its  accommodation  to  the  exigencies  of 
the  new  regime.  The  negro  in  the  heavier  work  of  rolling  mills, 
and  as  a stevedore,  &c.,  is  a most  valuable  hand,  while  in  the 
manufacture  of  plug  tobacco  he  practically  enjoys  a labor  mo- 
nopoly. In  temper  he  is  tractable,  and  can  be  easily  taught. 
The  white  artizan  class  has  of  late  years  absorbed  elements  from 
nearly  every  walk  in  life — disposition  as  well  as  necessity  leading 
many  to  embrace  mechanical  pursuits,  who  under  the  old  system 
in  the  South  would  not  have  had  either  the  stimulus  or  the  incli- 
nation to  do  so.  The  prejudice  in  favor  of  a profession  is  fast 
becoming  a thing  of  the  past.  Many  of  the  owners  of  manu- 
facturing establishments  have  served  their  time  during  the  last 
seventeen  years.  Prior  to  the  war  the  employment  of  fe- 
male operatives  in  manufacturing  establishments  was  the  ex- 
ception— in  fact  there  were  few  callings  in  which  they  could 
have  been  employed — even  had  it  been  customary  or  profitable. 
Now,  however,  the  industrial  element  among  white  women  and 
girls  is  very  large  and  is  constantly  increasing,  and  daily  new 
industries  are  being  developed  which  are  open  to  them  In  the 
manufacture  of  cotton  goods  paper,  cigarettes,  tobacco  bags, 
paper  bags,  underwear,  clothing,  paper  boxes,  and  in  other  light 
employments  they  are  able  to  meet  the  most  exacting  demands 
for  celerity  and  neatness  of  work.  For  the  most  part  these  ope- 
ratives are  reasonably  well  educated,  are  thoroughly  reliable, 
and  are  not  only  contented  but  happy  in  their  occupations. 
Moreover,  they  are  naturally  refined  and  art  loving,  a gift  that 
could  be  utilized  to  great  advantage  in  the  manufacture  of  fine 
pottery,  or  any  other  industry  requiring  an  art  perception.  It  is 
a source  of  peculiar  gratification  to  note  in  this  connection  the 


RICHMOND,  VIRGINIA. 


27 


fact  that  our  employers  of  female  labor  throw  every  safeguard 
possible  around  their  employees,  thus  protecting  them  against 
temptations  to  which  they  are  at  many  other  manufacturing 
centres  too  often  exposed. 

FOURTH— RAW  MATERIALS  IN  PART  AVAILABLE  FOR 
MANUFACTURING  PURPOSES. 

By  Richmond  and  Danville  System. — Wheat,  corn,  to- 
bacco, cotton,  kaolin,  feldspar,  mica,  barytes,  clays  for  building- 
brick  and  fire-brick,  graphite,  gold,  iron  and  copper  ores  in  great 
variety;  ochre,  granite,  coal,  limestone,  quick-lime,  lead,  man- 
ganese, carbonate  magnesia,  soapstone,  asbestos,  hornblende, 
nickel,  slate,  sandstone,  brownstone,  buhrstone,  marbles,  white 
and  variegated;  glass  sands,  agate,  jasper,  silver,  sulphur,  turpen- 
tine, tar,  rosin,  asphalt,  sumac,  various  minerals  for  ground 
paints ; oak,  pine,  walnut,  poplar,  maple,  willow,  locust,  plum, 
hickory,  gum,  dogwood,  birch,  cherry,  persimmon,  and  some 
forty  other  varieties  of  wood  of  commercial  value. 

By  Chesapeake  and  Ohio  System. — Wheat,  corn,  wool,  to- 
bacco, coal,  iron,  gold  ores,  copper,  and  iron  pyrites,  lead,  anti- 
mony, manganese,  salt,  kaolin,  fire  clay,  hoop-poles,  cement, 
limestone,  sandstone,  hides,  staves,  leather,  lime,  bark,  pig-iron, 
plaster,  sumac,  petroleum,  and  numerous  varieties  of  woods  for 
cabinet  and  machinery  purposes  and  building. 

By  Atlantic  Coast  Line. — Cotton,  corn,  wheat,  sumac,  rice, 
deer  tongue,  jute,  tobacco,  tar,  pitch,  rosin,  turpentine,  coal, 
sumac,  lumber  for  building,  and  nearly  all  the  woods  available  by 
the  Richmond  and  Danville  system. 

By  Richmond  and  Alleghany  Railroad. — Coal,  copper, 
wool,  oats,  gold  ores,  limestone,  cement,  manganese,  barytes,  fire 
clay,  kaolin,  staves  and  hoop-poles,  granite,  leather,  sumac,  glass 
sand,  hides,  plaster,  wheat,  corn,  tobacco,  sandstone,  mica,  slate, 
and  the  .woods  found  along  the  line  of  the  Chesapeake  and  Ohio 
.system. 

By  Norfolk  and  Western  System. — Through  the  Alle- 
ghany connection  with  this  road  there  are  available  to  Rich- 
mond, among  other  articles,  corn,  wheat,  oats,  iron,  lead,  zinc  and 
copper  ores,  salt,  plaster,  hides,  cattle,  wool,  cotton,  and  numerous 
•commercial  woods. 


28 


RICHMOND,  VIRGINIA. 


These  lists  only  embrace  leading  and  the  more  bulky  articles. 
The  materials  used,  in  whole  or  part,  for  many  industries — and 
which  the  statement  of  the  general  sub-division  of  Richmond 
manufactories  shows  are  essential — are  very  numerous  By  water 
there  is  also  available  a large  variety  of  raw  material  for  the 
manufacture  of  fertilizers,  wooden-ware,  &c.  A detailed  exhibit 
from  at  least  two  of  the  railroad  systems — the  Richmond  and 
Danville  and  Chesapeake  and  Ohio — is  now  in  the  Exhibition 
building  at  Boston. 

FIFTH— FOSTERING  AUXILIARIES. 

Richmond,  as  the  capital  of  the  State,  is  the  point  for  all  State 
gatherings  of  any  importance,  and  the  scene  of  the  meeting  of 
many  inter-State  conventions.  The  historic  interest  attaching  to 
it  alone  has  made  it  very  popular  for  such  purposes.  Further, 
it  is  the  headquarters  of  the  State  Agricultural  Society,  which 
holds  annual  exhibitions  near  the  city  for  the  display  not  only  of 
agricultural  products  and  machinery,  but  all  classes  of  machinery 
and  manufactured  goods  These  fairs  bring  together  people 
from  all  parts  of  the  country.  The  merchants  from  Virginia  and 
the  South  avail  themselves  of  the  opportunity  to  replenish  their 
stocks.  The  subject  of  rebuilding  the  Mechanics’  Institute,  de- 
stroyed by  fire,  is  being  agitated  by  the  public-spirited  business 
men,  and  it  is  only  a question  of  a short  time  when  the  matter 
will  take  practical  shape.  Another  organization  which  promises 
to  exercise  a decided  influence  in  the  advancement  of  the  indus- 
trial arts  is  the  Richmond  Art  Association,  now  in  its  sixth  year. 
Already  it  has  opened  a new  field  for  the  employment  of  ladies, 
in  stimulating  the  work  of  porcelain  decoration. 

SIXTH— PRESENT  AND  FUTURE  DEMANDS. 

There  is  now  a pressing  call  for  every  class  of  article  of 
Richmond  manufacture,  but  this  is  little  more  than  the  sugges- 
tion of  what  may  be  reasonably  expected  for  the  future.  The 
west  and  northwest  are  being  rapidly  filled  up,  and  the  tide  of 
immigration  must  inevitably  seek  the  fruitful  fields  of  the  South. 
In  fact  it  has  already  turned  in  this  direction.  Whether  this  new 
population  engage  in  agriculture — as  a large  percentage  of  it 


RICHMOND,  VIRGINIA. 


29 


will — in  mining,  or  in  the  ruder  manufacturing  pursuits,  there 
is  virtually  no  end  to  the  demand  that  must  be  created  for  the 
production  of  skilled  labor  in  the  mechanic  arts.  The  manifest 
destiny  of  the  southern  and  southwestern  country,  still  in  the 
infancy  of  its  development  in  many  respects,  reached  by  the  rail- 
road lines  diverging  from  Richmond,  is  such  as  will  compel  the 
use  of  an  interminable  variety  of  manufactured  articles,  for  labor- 
saving,  comfort  and  convenience.  With  Richmond  nearly  two 
hundred  miles  nearer  the  supply  of  raw  material,  and  the  same 
distance  nearer  the  fields  of  demand — practically  four  hundred 
miles  saved  as  a question  of  freights — than  any  northern  manu- 
facturing centre,  and  with  the  other  advantages  heretofore  set 
forth,  it  would  be  against  the  natural  order  of  things  if  it  should 
fail  to  influence  this  entire  trade. 


CHAPTER  IV. 


MANUFACTURES  IN  DETAIL. 

THE  BANKING  BASIS— THE  COAL  MOVEMENT— THE  IRON 

INTEREST— MILLING— A COMPREHENSIVE  RANGE  OF  IN- 
DUSTRIES. 

It  has  been  shown  that  Richmond  is  the  concentering  point  of 
a number  of  railroad  lines — three  of  which,  at  least,  constitute 
great  trunk  systems,  opening  up  to  it  a territory  unsurpassed  in 
richness  and  variety  of  natural  resources.  That  this  territory 
can  fail  of  development,  to  its  fullest,  is  contrary  to  the  law  of 
capital  and  of  progress.  To  the  south,  southwest,  and  west,  the 
attractions  of  climate  and  soil,  are  the  prophecy  of  a teeming 
population,  which  will  require  a basis  of  distribution  of  the  largest 
capacity.  It  is  only  necessary  to  glance  at  the  map,  to  be  im- 
pressed not  only  with  the  distance  saved  as  before  stated,  but  the 
time  as  well,  from  this  territory  in  favor  of  Richmond  as  against 
the  more  northern  markets.  It  is  only  necessary  to  bear  in  mind 
the  city’s  connections  by  rail  and  by  water  with  the  North,  to  be 
convinced  of  the  ability  of  our  business  men  to  place  in  the  depots 
and  on  the  wharves,  at  bottom  freight  rates,  all  the  necessary 
articles  that  may  be  demanded  by  the  Southern  trade,  which  are 
not  at  present  manufactured  in  the  city.  The  Richmond  mer- 
chants in  buying  North,  buy  on  an  equality  with  the  Northern 
jobbers,  and  the  superadded  freight  rates  from  Richmond  to  the 
northern  points  of  supply  count  as  nothing  to  the  consumer 
or  merchant  South,  by  reason  of  the  greatly  reduced  cost  of 
doing  business  in  Richmond.  In  fact,  the  trade  south  has  on  all 
northern  articles  bought  in  Richmond,  the  difference  in  the  cost 
of  transportation  between  Richmond  and  the  North,  in  its  favor> 
to  say  nothing  of  what  may  be  conceded,  through  the  decreased 
expense  of  handling  alluded  to  ; while  on  articles  of  Richmond 
manufacture  still  greater  advantages  are  a natural  sequence. 
These  facts,  it  must  be  apparent  to  every  clear-headed  business 


RICHMOND,  VIRGINIA. 


0 T 

01 

man,  claim  the  consideration,  not  only  of  the  southern  buyer, 
but  of  capital  seeking  investment.  It  has  also  been  demonstrated 
that  Richmond  possesses  every  other  advantage  regarded  by 
capitalists  as  essential  to  the  building  up  of  a great  city,  and  a 
great  centre  of  supply  and  distribution  — such  as  water  power, 
healthy  location,  security  in  time  of  war,  tractable  labor,  &c., — 
but  in  presenting  the  most  forcible  and  conclusive  argument  in 
support  of  the  claims  advanced  we  have  again  to  revert  to  “ what 
has  been  done  by  the  people  with  the  limited  means  at  their  dis- 
posal and  the  drawbacks  that  beset  them.”  This  it  is  true  has 
been  outlined  in  general  terms,  but  in  order  to  convey  its  full 
significance,  it  is  competent  to  show  the  status  of  the  various 
interests  more  in  detail 

FINANCE  AND  BANKING. 

In  April,  1865,  Richmond  as  a corporation  was  bankrupt. 
One-half  of  the  taxable  realty  had  been  swept  away,  and  the  peo- 
ple were  without  a currency — without  even  the  means  of  barter. 
To  day  City  bonds  are  above  par — 8’s  128,  6’s  112 5’s  103 
bid — and  are  counted  as  among  the  best  securities  in  the  market. 
The  banks  of  the  city  are  eleven  in  number— four  of  them  Na- 
tional banks  The  total  banking  capital  is  $2,200,000,  with  a 
surplus  of  $555,000.  Besides,  all  the  local  insurance  compa- 
nies are  lenders  of  money,  and  much  is  secured  through  re -dis- 
counts by  banks  North.  During  the  panic  of  1873  the  solidity  of 
these  institutions  was  most  satisfactorily  demonstrated  in  that 
they  weathered  the  storm,  when  banks  were  failing  all  around 
them.  There  is  also  a regular  stock  board  in  the  city,  which  is 
most  conservatively  conducted — no  “wild  cat”  securities  of  any 
sort  being  allowed  upon  the  call.  The  members  are  all  brokers 
of  well  known  integrity.  The  local  insurance  companies  are  all 
safe  institutions 

THE  COAL  MOVEMENT. 

The  coal  movement  is  a most  important  factor  in  its  relations 
to  the  manufacturing  interests  of  Richmond.  The  supply  is 
obtained  over  five  lines  of  transportation,  and  from  four  fields, 
the  West  Virginia,  the  Midlothian,  the  Bright  Hope,  and  the 
Henrico  mines.  The  three  latter  are  within  a few  miles  of  the 


32 


RICHMOND,  VIRGINIA. 


city.  For  steaming,  heating,  puddling  and  smelting,  and  all 
other  purposes  for  which  coals  can  be  used,  they  are  held  to  be 
as  valuable  and  economical  as  any  coals  mined  anywhere  in 
America,  and  the  deposits  are  as  yet  but  partially  devel- 
oped. It  is  estimated  that  in  the  immediate  neighborhood 
of  Richmond  there  is  enough  coal  to  meet  the  demand  of  hun- 
dreds of  years.  As  an  article  of  shipment  it  also  occupies  a 
prominent  place  in  the  trade  of  Richmond.  During  the  year 
1881,  there  were  shipped  from  the  Chesapeake  and  Ohio  wharves 
alone  213,907  tons. 

IRON-WORKS  AND  MACHINE-SHOPS. 

The  iron  interest  has  made  steady  and  successful  progress  in 
all  departments  for  a series  of  years.  The  ore  beds  of  Virginia 
are  in  such  close  proximity  to  coal  and  fluxing  supplies,  labor  is 
so  plentiful  and  transportation  so  convenient,  that  pig-iron  for 
conversion  into  castings,  wrought  iron  and  steel,  and  forged  iron, 
can  be  placed  in  the  mills,  shops  and  foundries  at  bottom  figures. 
There  are  now  over  4,000  men  engaged  in  the  several  iron- 
working establishments  in  Richmond,  and  their  productions 
represent  nearly  every  article  for  which  iron  can  be  utilized. 
The  amount  of  sales  of  this  interest  for  1881,  was  $5,337,590. 

Railroad  Materials  and  Wrought  Iron  Specialties. 
— Rails,  spikes,  fish-bars,  bolts,  freight  cars,  car  wheels,  axles, 
bridge  iron,  bridge  bolts,  railroad  chairs.  In  addition  to  this, 
ground  has  been  broken  and  shops  are  in  process  of  erection  for 
the  building  of  freight  and  passenger  locomotives  and  cars  on  an 
extensive  scale,  and  the  city  does  a large  jobbing  trade  in  loco- 
motive head-lights,  steam-cocks  and  gauges,  lanterns,  brasses 
and  railroad  supplies  generally.  This  business  has  been  rendered 
necessary  and  lucrative  by  the  railroad  interests  centering  at 
Richmond.  In  the  establishments  manufacturing  the  railroad 
material  indicated,  are  also  turned  out  bar-iron  for  general  use, 
horse  and  mule  shoes,  nails,  gratings,  nuts  and  screws  in  great 
variety.  The  nail  industry  is  the  largest  of  any  city  in  the  South, 
and  the  mills  are  now  greatly  increasing  their  capacity. 

Engine  Building. — The  engine  builders  were,  during  last 
year,  and  are  now,  pressed  to  the  utmost  building  capacity  of 
their  shops.  During  1881,  there  were  over  600  engines  turned 


RICHMOND,  VIRGINIA. 


33 


out  in  Richmond,  a single  concern  shipping,  during  the  busy 
season,  an  average  of  two  engines  a day.  Among  the  specialties 
of  the  engine  and  machine  shops,  are  portable  engines,  station- 
ary engines,  agricultural  engines,  locomotive  boilers,  plain  cylin- 
der, return  tubular,  return  flue,  and  upright  boilers,  smoke-stacks, 
tanks  and  general  boiler  work,  pumps  and  fittings  for  engines 
and  boilers,  steam  fire-engines,  mill  machinery,  hydraulic  presses 
and  pumps,  shafting  and  pulleys,  and  saw-mills.  The  greater 
part  of  the  engines  manufactured  are  sold  south  and  southwest. 

Castings. — dn  this  department  the  stove  business  deserves  a 
prominent  place,  Richmond  supplying  an  immense  trade  south, 
west  and  southwest.  We  also  mention  turbine  water  wheels, 
mill  gearing,  plow  points,  verandas  and  railings,  ornamental  iron 
work,  piping,  and  an  endless  number  of  smaller  articles ; in  fact 
it  is  unnecessary  to  go  out  of  Richmond  for  any  piece  of  casting. 

Miscellaneous. — Tobacconists’  fixtures,— such  as  presses, 
shapes,  pumps,  tobacco  knives,  steam  drying  apparatus — saws, 
files,  edge  tools,  fire  grates  and  builders’  materials. 

TOBACCO  MACHINERY. 

Besides  the  "tobacconists’  fixtures,”  mentioned  under  the  gen- 
eral head  of  “ Iron  Works  and  Machine  Shops,”  the  manufacture 
of  “ Tobacco  Machinery  ” merits  a distinct  classification,  as  fol- 
lows:— Elevators,  leaf  tobacco  trucks,  lump  boxes,  tobacco  box 
groovers,  flattening  mills,  blocks,  billets,  cutters  for  smoking  to- 
bacco bags,  pot  or  finishing  mills,  power  cutters,  smoking  tobacco 
cutters,  tobacco  stem-grinders,  tobacco  fans,  lump  machines,  and 
granulators. 

AGRICULTURAL  IMPLEMENTS  AND  MACHINERY. 

The  manufacture  of  agricultural  implements  is  hardly  second 
to  any  business  of  the  city,  in  the  different  implements  manu- 
factured, and  in  adding  to  the  general  business  revenue.  In 
considering  this  interest  it  should  be  noticed  that  the  woods 
used  are  all  right  at  the  doors  of  the  city.  The  list  is  too  nu- 
merous to  detail,  but  we  give  the  leading  articles,  exclusive 
of  agricultural  engines : — threshing  machines,  horse  powers, 
plows,  harrows,  corn  planters,  separators,  cultivators,  fertilizer 
distributers,  horse  rakes,  gleaners,  garden  and  field  rollers,  grind- 


34 


RICHMOND,  VIRGINIA. 


stone  fixtures,  cider  mills,  hand  and  power  corn  shellers,  road 
scrapers,  peanut  pickers,  shellers  and  separators,  barrows,  sausage 
machines  and  stuffers,  gardening  tools,  straw  and  feed  cutters, 
lifts,  suction  pumps  and  well  fixtures,  farm  carts  and  wagons,  and 
cotton  presses.  Agencies  are  established  in  Richmond  for  all  the 
patent  agricultural  machines  of  recognized  value,  as  well  as  for 
such  domestic  labor-saving  machinery  as  are  not  manufactured  in 
the  city. 

THE  MILLING  INTEREST. 

The  capacity  of  the  Richmond  flour  mills,  with  the  improved 
processes,  is  about  4,000  barrels  of  flour  daily,  and  the  Rich- 
mond brands  have  always  held  first  rank  in  the  South  American 
market— in  fact,  as  before  noted,  their  superiority  has  been  con- 
ceded from  the  first  decade  of  the  present  century.  Prior  to  the 
late  civil  war,  the  flour  trade  was  a double  source  of  revenue. 
A regular  line  of  barks  sailed  between  Richmond  and  the  South 
American  ports — carrying  out  flour,  and  returning  laden  with 
Brazilian  coffees,  and  West  Indian  sugars  and  molasses,  thus 
making  the  city  one  of  the  largest  markets  for  these  articles  in 
the  Union.  The  interruption  of  the  war  of  course  weaned  much 
of  this  trade  from  us,  but  it  has  been  gradually  reviving,  and, 
now  that  our  railroad  connections  are  so  complete,  it  is  confi- 
dently predicted  that  we  will  again  become  large  direct  import- 
ers. The  statistics  of  the  trade  of  Richmond  with  Brazil  for  the 
year  1881  show:  value  of  coffee  imported,  $59,230;  value  of 
flour  exported,  $1,650,622;  number  of  barrels  of  flour  exported, 
223,496.  In  addition  to  this  there  were  also  shipped  to  Brazil 
from  West  Point  (port  of  Richmond),  76,777  barrels — making 
a grand  total  of  300,273.  Number  of  vessels  engaged  in  the 
trade,  seventy-five  sailing  vessels,  and  nine  steamships — total, 
eighty-six;  the  mills  also  produce  a good  deal  of  fine  family 
flour  for  home  trade,  together  with  large  quantities  of  meal — the 
greater  proportion  of  which  latter  article  is  shipped  to  the  south. 
Nearly  all,  if  not  all,  of  the  wheat  ground  for  the  Brazilian  mar- 
ket is  from  Virginia  or  Western  States  in  the  same  parallel  of 
latitude. 

THE  FLOUR  AND  GRAIN  TRADE. 

The  flour  and  grain  trade  of  Richmond,  independent  of  what  is 


RICHMOND,  VIRGINIA. 


35 


known  and  termed  the  “ milling  interest,"  has  received  an  immense 
impulse  in  late  years,  and  the  city  is  fast  becoming  one  of  the  most 
prominent  grain  markets  on  the  Atlantic  coast.  Flour  is  received 
for  distribution,  not  only  from  the  Virginia  mills,  but  from  the 
west,  in  large  quantities,  and  the  grain  supply  is  drawn  over 
three  lines  of  road,  reaching  the  west  and  northwest.  During  the 
year  a grain  elevator  has  been  erected  near  the  Chesapeake  and 
Ohio  railway  depot,  and  from  the  first  month  of  its  completion 
has  been  pressed  to  its  full  capacity — over  450,000  bushels. 
To  facilitate  transactions  in  grain  there  is  a regular  “Corn 
and  Flour  Exchange.”  The  overplus  above  mill  consumption 
is  shipped  north  and  south  or  exported.  Richmond  enjoys  a 
fine  trade  in  wheat  with  both  Spain  and  Portugal. 

THE  TOBACCO  INTEREST. 

By  reason  of  seniority  as  a Virginia  staple,  and  the  amount  of 
manipulation  it  requires  from  first  to  last,  tobacco  should  prob- 
ably be  placed  first  on  the  list  of  Richmond  industries.  It  has 
in  time  been  the  source  of  more  large  fortunes,  and  the  cause  of 
more  legislation,  than  anything  produced  in  this  State.  During 
the  year  1881,  the  total  tax  paid  the  government,  on  tobacco, 
cigars  and  cigarettes,  was  $2,282,239.53.  Number  of  hands  em- 
ployed on  plug  and  smoking  tobacco,  4,821;  on  cigars  and 
cigarettes,  775;  in  stemming  and  re  prizing,  579;  total,  6,175. 
Amount  of  tobacco  manufactured,  17,500,000  pounds.  The  total 
amount  of  internal  revenue  paid  the  government  by  the  Rich- 
mond district  from  the  close  of  the  war  to  June  30,  1882,  was 
$37,612,601. 

Leaf  Tobacco. — Most  of  the  leaf  tobacco  is  sold  by  certified 
sample  of  inspectors,  at  auction  on  the  Tobacco  Exchange. 
The  leaf  tobacco  year  ends  October  30th,  but  as  a basis  for  cal- 
culation we  give  the  statistics  from  October,  1880,  to  December 
1,  1881,  as  far  as  they  could  be  gathered  : 

Inspections. — From  October,  1880,  to  October,  1881,  30,921 
hogsheads,  5,084  tierces;  from  October,  1881,  to  December  1, 
1881,  4,184  hogsheads,  333  tierces.  Total,  35,105  hogsheads  and 
5,417  tierces. 

Deliveries  — From  October,  1880,  to  October,  1881,  32,615 
hogsheads,  4,963  tierces;  from  October,  1881,  to  December  1, 


36 


RICHMOND,  VIRGINIA. 


1881,  5,003  hogsheads  450  tierces.  Total,  37,618  hogsheads  and 
5,413  tierces. 

Foreign  Shipments  Direct. — From  October,  1881,  to  Decem- 
ber 1,  1881,  867  hogsheads,  73  tierces. 

Coastwise  Shipments. — From  October,  1881,  to  December  1, 
1881,  1,242  hogsheads,  176  tierces. 

Stock  on  Hand. — December  1,  1881:  Inspected,  10,011  hogs- 
heads, 314  tierces ; uninspected,  755  hogsheads,  21  tierces.  Total, 
10,766  hogsheads  and  335  tierces. 

Loose  Tobacco  Receipts — From  October,  1880,  to  October, 
1881,  2,823,770  pounds;  from  October,  1880,  to  December  1, 
1880,  53,510  pounds;  from  October,  1881,  to  December  1,  1881, 
332,405.  Excess  for  1881,  278,895  pounds. 

Between  private  individuals  and  the  buyers  for  foreign  govern- 
ments, most  of  the  stemmed  and  re-prized  tobaccos  are  exported. 

Plug  and  Smoking  Tobacco. — This  branch  of  the  tobacco 
industry,  of  course,  employs  the  largest  number  of  hands  and  the 
largest  amount  of  capital.  The  tobaccos  used  are  Virginia,  North 
Carolina  and  Western,  and  the  trade  extends  all  over  the  world. 
The  Western,  Southern  and  Australian  trade  is  particularly  heavy. 
In  the  commoner  grades  of  tobacco  nearly  any  sound  leaf  can  be 
worked  up,  whether  Virginia,  North  Carolina  or  Western;  but 
tobaccos  from  certain  sections  of  Virginia  and  North  Carolina, 
are  used  almost  exclusively  in  the  highest  grades,  and  Richmond 
brands,  by  reason  of  our  proximity  to  the  source  of  supply,  enjoy 
a position  of  the  first  importance.  The  manufactured  tobacco 
exported  in  1881  was  3,566,698)4  pounds.  The  total  number  of 
tobacco  factories  in  1881  was  55.  This  is  exclusive  of  stem- 
meries,  reprizing  establishments,  and  cigarette  and  cigar  fac- 
tories. 

Cigars  and  Cigarettes. — Cigars  are  manufactured  largely 
for  the  Southern  and  Western  trade,  and  some  few  for  export. 
The  tobaccos  used  are  principally  Connecticut,  Havana  and  Penn- 
sylvania, which  are  bought  in  large  quantities.  The  brands  stand 
high,  both  at  home  and  in  the  South,  and  the  trade  is  rapidly  in- 
creasing. The  Richmond  cigar-makers  have  fully  demonstrated, 
as  the  demand  upon  them  shows,  that  they  can  in  every  way 
compete  with  northern  markets.  The  climate  of  Richmond  is 
especially  well  adapted  to  the  manipulation  of  cigar  tobaccos. 
The  manufacture  of  cigarettes  is  a comparatively  new  industry  in 


RICHMOND,  VIRGINIA. 


37 


Richmond,  but  one  that  has  grown  beyond  all  precedent,  as  the 
following  comparative  table  of  the  productions  of  the  last  seven 
years  will  show : 


Date.  No.  of  Cigarettes . 

1S75 3,116,000 

1876  13,887,000 

1877  17,146,800 

1878  19,293,000 

1S79 32,570,000 

18S0 52,259,440 

1881 65,000,000 


Of  the  total  number  manufactured  in  1881,  24,154,000  were 
exported.  The  tobaccos  worked  up  are  the  bright,  aromatic 
smokers  of  southern  Virginia  and  northern  and  western  North 
Carolina,  which,  owing  to  the  small  percentage  of  nicotine  and 
nitrates  they  contain,  give  the  Richmond  cigarette  the  prefer- 
ence in  all  markets  where  pure  tobaccos  are  appreciated.  The 
bulk  of  the  cigarettes  used  in  the  London  clubs  are  made  in 
Richmond.  In  rolling  the  cigarettes,  labeling  them,  and  putting 
them  in  packages,  white  girls  are  employed  exclusively. 

SUMAC  AND  BARK. 

Sumac  and  bark  mills  may  also  be  classed  as  recent  features 
of  Richmond  industry.  The  gathering  of  sumac  gives  employ- 
ment to  a great  number  of  the  poorer  classes  in  the  country,  and 
the  ground  article  stands  high  in  the  Northern  market.  Bark 
for  tanning  and  other  purposes  is  accessible  on  all  the  railroads. 

LEATHER,  LEATHER  FINDINGS,  HARNESS,  &c. 

Tanning  is  carried  on  in  the  city  quite  extensively,  and  in 
leather,  leather  findings,  harness,  &c.,  the  business  is  steadily  in- 
creasing. It  would  surprise  many  of  our  own  citizens  to  know 
how  many  hands  are  engaged  in  this  business  and  the  amount 
of  improved  machinery  employed.  Richmond  harness  and  sad- 
dle work  enjoys  a reputation  in  the  South  second  to  that  of 
no  city  in  the  country  for  excellence  in  quality  and  reasonable 
prices.  All  classes  of  the  best  work  are  made,  and  the  demand 
is  constant.  The  wholesale  manufacture  of  shoes  is  also  rapidly 
increasing,  the  capacity  of  the  various  factories  being  estimated 
at  2,500  pairs  per  day. 


38 


RICHMOND,  VIRGINIA. 


CARRIAGES,  WAGONS,  &c. 

Richmond  manufactures  the  best  quality  of  carriages,  wagons, 
carts  and  vehicles  generally.  The  number  of  hands  engaged  in 
this  industry  including  blacksmiths  and  wheelwrights  is  over  500. 
And  the  wood  and  iron  findings  are  to  hand,  and  enable  the  trade 
to  confidently  enter  the  field  of  competition  for  all  reliable  work. 

In  the  last  few  years  the  success  of  the  business  has  justified  a 
decided  expansion  in  manufacturing  facilities. 

FURNITURE. 

The  furniture  trade  is  assuming  most  important  proportions, 
and  our  cabinet  makers  are  manufacturing  every  grade  of  furni- 
ture from  the  finest  to  the  most  ordinary.  Nearly  every  kind  of 
wood  now  used  in  this  industry  is  easily  available  to  Richmond, 
even  to  the  finest  necessary  for  inlaid  work.  The  woods  in  the 
railway  displays  at  the  Boston  Exhibition  will  show  the  range. 
Richmond  furniture  is  not  only  shipped  south  and  west,  but  is 
sent  abroad. 

COOPERING  AND  BOX-MAKING. 

The  demand  from  the  Richmond  mills,  the  pork-packing 
establishments,  the  nail  factories,  the  tobacco  and  cigar  facto- 
ries and  jobbers,  alone  makes  these  industries  count  as  a large 
factor  in  the  city’s  manufactures.  Hoop-poles  and  staves  for 
coopering,  and  lumber  for  the  box  factories,  form  a large  item  of 
transportation  over  all  the  railroads.  The  demand  for  such  pro- 
ductions also  extends  outside  of  the  city. 

SASH,  BLINDS  AND  DOORS. 

In  the  sash,  blind  and  door  factories,  about  two  hundred  hands  4 
are  employed,  and  the  trade  extends  as  far  south  as  Georgia. 
All  classes  of  fine  and  medium  goods  are  produced.  The  mate- 
rial reaches  Richmond  over  all  the  lines  of  railroad,  to  be  sent 
back  in  manufactured  form.  Fine  mouldings  and  stair-work 
are  a specialty  with  some  of  the  factories. 

COTTON  FACTORIES. 

The  cotton  factories  employ  about  400  hands,  mostly  women, 
and  the  industry  is  annually  becoming  more  important,  owing  to 


RICHMOND,  VIRGINIA. 


39 


the  accessibility  of  raw  material.  Cotton  is  now  one  of  the  chief 
articles  of  transportation  over  the  southern  roads,  and  the  city  is 
taking  position  as  a cotton  market.  A feature  of  the  trade 
is  the  barter  of  fertilizers  for  cotton.  In  the  cotton  factories 
water-power  is  used  exclusively.  The  materials  turned  out  are 
cotton  cloths  and  yarns,  and  the  coarser  fabrics,  but  there  is 
every  promise  of  the  manufacture  of  prints  in  the  near  future. 
The  woolen  mill  interest  has  not  revived  in  Richmond  since  the 
war,  but  there  is  the  best  sort  of  opening,  not  only  for  the  man- 
ufacture of  woolen  cloths,  but  such  specialties  as  hosiery,  &c. 
The  city  has  a large  trade  in  wool,  drawing  it  from  every  direc- 
tion, but  especially  from  Piedmont  and  Southwestern  Virginia, 
where  particular  attention  is  given  to  sheep-breeding,  and  the 
female  labor  is  plentiful  and  well  adapted  for  such  an  enterprise. 

EARTHEN  AND  STONE-WARE. 

Potters’  clay  of  the  best  quality  is  abundant  in  the  vicinity  of 
Richmond,  and  has  stimulated  a profitable  business  in  earthen 
ware ; and  the  manufacture  of  fine  china,  &c.,  is  only  a question 
of  a short  time.  In  fact,  a joint  stock  company  for  the  manufac- 
ture of  porcelain  ware  was  formed  last  year,  and  a factory  with 
all  the  improved  machinery  erected.  This  building  was  burned 
last  spring,  however,  just  as  operations  were  about  to  be  com- 
menced. All  the  material  for  the  finest  classes  of  this  ware,  such 
as  kaolin,  flint  and  feldspar,  is  found  in  abundance  in  various  por- 
tions of  the  State,  and  at  other  points  easily  accessible  from 
Richmond.  One  immense  bed  of  kaolin,  of  exceptional  rare 
quality,  is  located  only  eight  miles  from  the  city,  immediately  on 
the  line  of  the  Richmond  and  Danville  railroad,  and  goods  manu- 
factured entirely  from  Virginia  material  have  been  proven  equal  to 
any  made  in  the  United  States.  As  before  intimated,  decorative 
art  has  received  a great  impetus  lately,  and  the  skilled  labor  for 
this  department  of  porcelain  manufacture  is  already  at  hand  and 
anxious  for  employment. 

BAGS  AND  BAGGING. 

The  wheat,  flour,  grain,  smoking  tobacco,  and  cotton  trade 
makes  this  interest  a necessity,  which  capital  has  not  been  slow 
to  take  advantage  of.  The  manufacture  of  bags  for  flour  for 


40 


RICHMOND,  VIRGINIA. 


home  consumption,  and  of  smoking  tobacco  bags,  is  another 
interest  nearly  monopolized  by  women.  The  material  for  the 
manufacture  of  gunny  bags  is  imported  from  India,  but  efforts 
are  being  made  to  raise  it  in  Eastern  North  Carolina,  with  every 
prospect  of  success. 

PORK  PACKING. 

Pork  packing  for  the  southern  trade  is  carried  on  extensively,, 
the  meat  being  bought  in  bulk  and  on  the  hoof  not  only  from 
Virginia,  but  Irom  the  great  western  centres.  It  is  distributed  to 
the  extreme  limits  of  southern  railroad  connections.  The  manu- 
facture of  sausage  for  the  southern  trade  is  an  especially  large 
interest. 

CLOTHING  AND  UNDERWEAR. 

In  clothing  and  underwear  Richmond  is  also  able  to  compete 
with  the  northern  manufacturing  centres,  buying  what  material  not 
manufactured  at  home  to  the  best  advantage,  and  utilizing  female 
labor.  The  shirt  factories  here  turn  out  as  fine  work  as  can  be 
produced  anywhere,  and  many  of  the  finer  cloths  for  suitings  are 
imported  directly. 

WOODEN-WARE,  BROOMS  AND  WILLOW-WARE. 

These  industries  employ  as  many  as  200  hands,  many  of  them 
skilled,  and  for  the  production  of  all  the  articles  embraced 
under  this  heading  the  material  is  not  only  plentiful  but  most 
convenient.  Among  the  articles  manufactured  of  cedar  are  tubs 
of  all  sizes,  pails,  cans,  field  cans,  staff  churns,  cylinder  churns, 
well  and  horse  buckets,  and  ice-pails,  measures  and  keelers, 
the  finish  and  thoroughness  of  work  on  which  is  not  excelled 
anywhere,  as  the  showing  at  the  Exhibition  will  demonstrate. 
The  lumber  is  brought  for  the  most  part  from  the  great  swamps 
of  Virginia  and  North  Carolina.  In  the  wooden-ware  business 
there  is  a fine  opening  for  the  investment  of  capital,  in  the 
manufacture  of  the  smaller  articles,  such  as  spools,  trays,  spoons, 
trenchers,  rolling-pins,  clothes-pins,  &c. 

PAPER,  BLANK  BOOKS,  PAPER  BOXES,  AND  PAPER  BAGS. 

The  paper  mills  turn  out  all  grades  of  news,  book  and  wrapping 
papers  and  paper  twines — a large  quantity  of  the  wrapping  paper 


RICHMOND,  VIRGINIA. 


41 


being  consumed  in  the  manufacture  of  paper  bags.  In  book- 
binding and  blank-book  making,  Richmond  establishments  cannot 
be  excelled,  either  in  low  prices  or  good  work.  The  manufacture 
of  paper  boxes  is  a prominent  and  increasing  industry,  and  all 
the  establishments  are  worked  to  their  full  capacity.  Among  the 
articles  manufactured  we  mention  smoking  tobacco  boxes,  pill 
boxes  in  endless  variety,  powder  boxes,  confectioners’  boxes  and 
toilet  boxes.  These  latter  are  of  every  design,  and  have  given 
Richmond  a reputation  all  over  the  country.  In  neatness  of 
work,  beauty  of  finish  and  general  ornamentation  they  are  not 
excelled  by  the  finest  French  products.  This  industry  gives 
employment  to  about  600  hands,  most  of  them  women  and  girls. 

GRANITE  AND  MARBLE  CUTTING. 

Granite  and  marble  cutting  is  a lucrative  occupation  in  the 
items  of  preparing  building  material  and  in  monumental  work 
for  home  trade,  but  this  is  a small  part  of  the  industry.  Rich- 
mond granite  is  known  and  in  demand  all  over  the  country  for 
street  paving,  and  some  of  the  finest  work  on  several  of  the  pub- 
lic buildings  at  Washington  was  executed  here.  The  supply  is 
practically  inexhaustible,  and  for  toughness  and  power  of  resist- 
ance to  the  action  of  fire  and  the  weather  it  has  no  superior.. 
The  Richmond  custom-house,  which  is  built  of  this  granite,  was, 
at  the  great  fire  of  the  evacuation  of  the  city  by  the  Confederate 
troops,  the  centre  of  the  “burnt  district,”  and  suffered  no  damage. 
Marble  of  a superior  quality  is,  as  before  indicated,  found  on  the 
line  of  several  of  the  railroads  leading  into  the  city.  Some  of 
the  varieties  are  beautifully  adapted  for  the  manufacture  of  soda 
fountains,  mantels  and  furniture  tops. 

WOOD  ENGRAVING,  LITHOGRAPHING  AND  PRINTING. 

These  kindred  occupations  give  employment  to  over  300  hands, 
exclusive  of  the  printers  engaged  on  newspaper  work.  One  of 
the  greatest  sources  of  revenue  to  all  of  them  is  the  demand  for 
labels  for  tobacco  boxes,  cigar  boxes,  general  ornamentation  for 
fancy  paper  boxes,  and  railroad  work,  though  the  finest  work  is 
also  turned  out  in  the  way  of  check  and  draft  books,  bonds, 
stocks,  show  cards,  &c. 


42 


RICHMOND,  VIRGINIA. 


CARPENTERING  AND  BUILDING. 

The  number  of  men  engaged  in  this  business  may  be  fairly 
estimated  at  1,000,  and  the  building  operations  going  on  at  pres- 
ent give  them  all  employment.  The  Richmond  builders  are  a 
superior  class  of  men,  and  trouble  between  them  and  their  em- 
ployees rarely,  if  ever,  occurs.  In  truth,  it  may  be  said  that 
nowhere  is  community  of  interest  between  employer  and  em- 
ployee in  all  industries  more  generally  recognized  than  in 
Richmond.  Distinct  from  carpentering  and  building  are  the 
industries  of  slating,  tinning  and  plumbing,  in  which  about  350 
hands  are  employed. 

BRICK  MAKING. 

The  clays  about  Richmond  are  of  a superior  quality  for  brick 
making,  and  the  industry  is  a source  of  revenue  for  a large  ele- 
ment of  population. 

SOAP  AND  CANDLES. 

The  Richmond  factories  turn  out  the  best  qualities  of  laundry 
and  toilet  soap  in  great  variety,  which,  with  their  candle  produc- 
tion, find  a ready  market  at  home,  south  and  west. 

RECTIFIERS. 

This  business  involves  a large  amount  of  capital,  and  supplies 
a very  large  territory  in  the  South.  The  spirits  employed  are 
chiefly  from  the  Valley  of  Virginia  and  the  West. 

CANNED  GOODS. 

The  adaptability  of  the  country  circumjacent  to  Richmond 
to  the  raising  of  all  sorts  of  fruits  and  vegetables,  has  made  the 
canning  industry  one  of  very  considerable  magnitude.  A special 
feature  of  the  canneries  in  and  around  Richmond  is  that  the 
materials  are  either  raised  especially  for  the  purpose,  on  the 
farms  of  the  proprietors,  or  are  the  overplus , never  the  refase 
of  the  market-garden  production.  The  area  under  cultivation 
directly  attached  to  the  canneries,  is  about  1,500  acres.  During 
the  busy  season  about  700  hands  are  employed,  and  the  total 


RICHMOND,  VIRGINIA. 


43 


packing  capacity  of  the  industry  is  70,000  cases  of  25  cans  each. 
A large  quantity  of  the  goods  put  up  is  exported,  and  there 
is  no  reason  why  the  canning  business  should  not  be  greatly 
increased. 

CANDY  AND  CONFECTIONERY  AND  BAKING. 

The  candy  factories  do  a thriving  business  in  both  plain  and 
fancy  candies.  Even  before  the  war  our  candies  had  a reputation 
in  the  country  accessible  to  Richmond,  which  reputation  has 
been  more  than  sustained  in  late  years.  The  baking  of  cakes 
and  fancy  crackers  for  shipment  is  also  an  important  item.  The 
business  gives  employment  to  over  200  hands ; and  the  facilities 
of  our  flour  market  give  it  advantages  that  must  be  evident  to 
buyers. 

FERTILIZERS 

The  means  of  distribution  for  such  goods,  especially  south- 
ward, being  so  exceptionally  good  at  Richmond,  induced  the 
erection  here  of  not  less  than  five  factories  for  the  preparation  of 
chemical  manures,  and  they  all  do  a large  business.  Their  trade 
covers  six  States  and  is  continually  expanding.  Richmond  has 
two  acid  chambers  and  one  factory  for  the  production  of  sulphate 
of  ammonia,  erected  during  the  past  two  years.  With  the  ability 
to  secure  the  bulk  of  the  raw  material  used  by  sail-ship,  no  point 
can  produce  such  goods  to  greater  advantage,  certainly,  as  stated, 
for  the  very  large  consuming  region  south  of  us. 

LUBRICATORS,  AXLE  GREASE,  &c. 

The  railroad  interest  and  machine  shops  of  the  city  have  fos- 
tered a great  expansion  in  the  manufacture  of  these  articles,  and 
year  by  year  both  the  capital  and  number  of  hands  engaged  in 
the  business  have  steadily  increased.  The  overplus  above  home 
consumption  is  large,  but  finds  ready  sale. 

TIN-WARE. 

The  manufacture  of  tin-ware  is  a specialty  with  a number  of 
establishments,  and  the  articles  turned  out  embrace  everything 
for  which  tin  can  be  used.  The  large  negro  population  in  the 
■South  creates  a good  demand  for  tin  utensils  alone. 


44 


RICHMOND,  VIRGINIA. 


COFFEE  AND  SPICE  MILLS. 

The  coffee  and  spice  and  flavoring  mills  manufacture  full  lines 
of  all  articles  known  to  the  trade  as  belonging  under  this  head. 

TRUNKS  AND  VALISES. 

The  manufacture  of  trunks  and  valises  is  a comparative  new 
industry,  but  the  results  have  fully  justified  the  investment  of 
capital  in  this  direction. 

SULPHURIC  ACID,  MEAT  JUICE,  &c. 

The  production  of  sulphuric  acid,  meat  juice,  bitters,  and  pro- 
prietary articles  of  various  kinds,  is  an  important  consideration, 
both  in  the  matter  of  capital  and  labor  employed. 

TYPE  AND  ELECTROTYPING. 

The  making  of  type  and  electrotypes  is  a successful  and  in- 
creasing business,  and  complete  outfits  can  be  supplied  for  the 
largest  job,  book  and  newspaper  establishments. 

MISCELLANEOUS. 

Under  the  head  of  “ Miscellaneous  ” we  include  a large  variety 
of  industries;  among  them  gun-smithing,  hair-working,  net  and 
seine  making,  brand  cutting,  dyeing  and  bleaching,  ale,  beer 
and  mineral  water  bottling,  scroll  sawing,  &c.,  which  afford  sup- 
port to  a large  number  of  people.  Every  day  new  enterprises 
are  springing  up,  and  it  is  safe  to  say  that  there  are  hidden  away 
from  general  observation  hundreds  of  little  shops  not  included  in 
the  table  of  manufactories  given  elsewhere,  the  aggregate  of 
whose  production  is  far  from  trifling. 

SHIP  BUILDING,  &c. 

In  closing  this  chapter,  there  are  two  other  points  we  deem 
especially  worthy  of  consideration : ist.  The  war  demonstrated 
that  Richmond  was  impregnable  in  time  of  war,  and  it  is  a fact 
that  nearly  all  cities  of  any  size  in  the  world  are  inland.  2d. 
While  our  capitalists  are  already  large  owners  in  sailing  vessels. 


RICHMOND,  VIRGINIA. 


45 


with  sufficient  depth  of  water — which,  it  is  beyond  question,  can 
be  obtained — there  is  no  reason  why  the  city  should  not  become 
a most  desirable  place  for  ship  building.  Operatives  can  work 
the  year  round  with  comfort,  and  all  the  materials  needed  for 
such  an  enterprise  are  readily  available.  The  real  estate  busi- 
ness is  in  the  hands  of  a superior  class  of  men,  and  capitalists 
wishing  to  invest  will  be  afforded  every  accommodation  in  ex- 
amining such  property  as  may  be  on  the  market. 


CHAPTER  V. 


THE  JOBBING  TRADE. 

HOW  IT  HAS  BEEN  BUILT  UP— RICHMOND  THE  CLOSEST,. 
CHEAPEST,  AND  MOST  NATURAL  MARKET  FOR  THE 
SOUTH— LIST  OF  JOBBING  ENTERPRISES— SOME  POTENT 
REASONS  WHY  THE  TRADE  WILL  CONTINUE  TO  IN- 
CREASE. 

The  jobbing  trade — the  principal  distributing  channel  of  all 
manufactures  and  commerce— has,  in  attaining  its  present  pro- 
portions, had  multitudinous  difficulties  to  overcome,  but  has 
finally  secured  for  Richmond  a name  as  a base  of  supply  second 
to  that  of  no  city  on  the  Atlantic  Seaboard.  The  accomplish- 
ment of  such  a result  is  not  only  indicative  of  the  energy,  enter- 
prise and  public  spirit  of  our  merchants,  but  evidence  per  se  of  the 
city’s  natural  advantages.  At  the  close  of  the  war  Richmond 
had,  we  reiterate,  everything  to  contend  with.  The  South  was 
drained,  and  it  was  compelled  to  have  supplies.  The  city  had 
neither  the  capital  nor  transportation  facilities  to  furnish  them. 
The  northern  markets  were  not  slow  to  appreciate  their  opportu- 
nity, and  before  Richmond  had  regained  the  local  trade  enjoyed 
prior  to  the  war,  they  had  virtually  occupied  the  whole  Southern 
field.  The  lines  of  transportation  naturally  discriminated  in  their 
favor,  and  their  ability  to  give  better  accommodations  was  a the- 
ory, if  not  a fact,  that  militated  against  any  representation  that 
Richmond  could  make,  even  in  the  territory  immediately  accessi- 
ble. Nevertheless,  step  by  step,  the  Richmond  salesmen  followed 
the  extension  of  the  railroad  lines,  slowly  but  steadily  introducing 
their  samples,  until  not  only  the  people,  but  the  railroad  corpora- 
tions, alive  to  self-interest,  began  to  take  cognizance  of  their 
claims.  It  was  a fact  apparent,  that  wherever  Richmond  got  a 
foot-hold  it  was  able  to  remain ; and  when  once  the  tide  of  trade 
set  in  this  direction,  the  flow  was  continuous  and  increasing. 
How  far  the  railroads  were  impressed  with  this  is  told  by  the 
most  cursory  examination  of  the  maps  accompanying  this  publi- 
cation. Richmond,  with  its  lines  of  local  railway,  extending  south 
only  to  Greensboro,  N.  C.,  186  miles,  and  west  to  Covington, 


RICHMOND,  VIRGINIA. 


47 


Va.,  205  miles,  is  a thing  of  the  past,  and  in  its  stead  we  have 
Richmond,  the  focus  01  a system,  or  systems,  of  transportation, 
that,  by  reason  of  no  diverting  points  south  of  us,  drains  more  area 
of  country,  and  richer  country  at  that,  than  any  city  in  the  Union. 
The  jobbing  trade  was  literally  nothing  to  begin  with.  To-day 
we  know  of  houses  which,  starting  on  a borrowed  capital  of  a 
few  thousand  dollars,  do  a business  of  nearly  a half  million  dol- 
lars annually.  And  it  is  no  idle  boast  that  we  can  and  do  com- 
pete with  any  city,  north  or  south,  in  supplying  any  line  of  goods 
for  the  consumer  or  merchant. 

THE  REASONS. 

This  latter  assertion  is  justified  by  every  fact  and  argument  we 
have  heretofore  advanced  in  advocacy  of  Richmond’s  claims  as 
a manufacturing  centre.  But  in  order  to  enforce  their  relations 
to  the  specialty  under  consideration  let  us  briefly  re-state  some  of 
them  in  connection  with  other  points  that  must  strike  the  ob- 
server's mind  : 

First.  Richmond  is  nearly  two  hundred  miles  nearer  the  southern, 
western  and  southwestern  fields  of  demand  than  any  city  north  of  it, 
and  from  the  west  particularly  is  approached  by  easier  grades  than  any 
other  Atlantic  port. 

Second.  A large  line  of  goods  are  manufactured  in  Richmond  and 
our  jobbers  can  buy  what  is  not  manufactured  here  on  exactly  the  same 
terms  that  the  Northern  jobbers  can. 

Third.  The  cost  of  doing  business  in  Richmond  is,  by  reason  of  the 
reduced  cost  of  living  so  much  below  northern  cities  that  our  jobbers 
are  enabled  to  ignore  the  difference  in  freights  between  Richmond  and 
the  Northern  trade  centres,  which  difference  the  Southern  merchant 
would  have  to  pay  in  buying  North. 

Fourth.  Richmond  can  give  shipments  twelve  hours  in  advance,  and 
deliver  goods  twenty-four  hours  earlier  from  time  of  shipment  than  any 
Northern  city,  with  much  lower  freight  rates  on  account  of  distance. 

Fifth.  Tickets  from  any  point  South  to  Richmond  and  return,  are 
cheaper  than  to  any  northern  trade  centre  and  return — a consideration 
of  some  importance  to  the  merchant  buying  directly  from  the  house 
in  preference  to  buying  from  the  salesman. 

Sixth.  Richmond  has  every  advantage  of  competition  in  freights 
from,  western  cities  by  rail,  and  from  eastern  cities  by  both  rail  and 
water,  and  has  a fair  and  just  tariff  to  the  South,  not  inimical  to  the  city. 

Seventh.  Situated  at  the  head  of  tidewater  where  vessels  drawing 
eighteen  feet  of  water  can  come  to  the  wharves,  with  rail  connections  to 


48 


RICHMOND,  VIRGINIA. 


West  Point  and  Newports  News  (ports  of  Richmond),  where  the  depth  of 
water  is  sufficient  for  the  largest  vessels,  the  city  has  every  facility  for 
its  import  and  export  trade. 

PASSENGER  TRAFFIC. 

That  these  conditions  are  favorable  to  a continued  increase  of 
the  jobbing  trade  does  not  admit  of  argument,  much  less  of  dis- 
pute. The  reasoning  they  convey  in  their  bearing  upon  the 
future  can  bring  us  to  but  one  conclusion;  yet  there  are  other 
reasons  equally  as  potent  in  the  premises,  one  of  which  is  espe- 
cially worthy  of  consideration.  Richmond  is  on  the  great  high- 
way of  passenger  traffic  from  all  points  South  to  the  North,  and 
this  service  is  as  cheap  and  comfortable,  as  quick  and  as  varied, 
as  over  any  other  line,  having  the  advantage  of  both  rail  and 
water  connection  from  here  to  the  North.  The  northern  bound 
traveller  has  the  choice  of  the  Richmond,  Fredericksburg  and 
Potomac  line,  the  fast  mail,  passenger  and  express  line  north,  or 
any  of  the  several  boat  lines.  Tickets  via  Richmond  are  sold  at 
all  stations  and  ticket  offices  at  the  same  prices  as  via  any  other 
route.  This  is  and  must  remain  the  popular  route;  and  to  the 
Southern  merchant  common  sense  and  common  business  princi- 
ples would  dictate  a trial  of  the  Richmond  market,  before  going 
further  north,  in  order  that  he  may  institute  a comparison  of 
prices,  freight  rates,  quantity  of  stock  carried  in  his  line,  and  post 
himself  regarding  such  other  matters  as  influence  trade.  If  he 
goes  direct  to  some  northern  point  he  loses  the  benefit  of  com- 
petition, not  knowing  the  prices  and  advantages  of  Richmond. 
Such  trial  is  all  the  Richmond  merchants  have  ever  asked  in  the 
past,  or  will  ask  in  the  future,  to  vindicate  their  assertion  that 
this  is  the  best,  cheapest,  closest,  and  most  natural  market  for  the 
southern  trade.  The  test  has  been  applied  with  the  opening  of 
every  new  feeder  to  the  southern  and  southwestern  railroad  sys- 
tems and  with  invariable  success. 

CLASSIFICATION. 

The  jobbing  trade  of  Richmond  now  covers  four  entire 
States,  and  extends  into  portions  of  four  others.  A list  of 
the  articles  sold  by  the  jobbing  houses  would  be  intermina 
ble,  but  we  mention  the  leading  trade  classifications  with  the 
simple  assurance  that  all  of  the  lines  are  complete : 

Agricultural  Implements — -Agencies  for  all  the  leading  man- 


RICHMOND,  VIRGINIA. 


49 


^factories.  Bakers  and  Confectioners.  Booksellers  and  Sta- 
tioners. Boot  and  Shoe  Dealers — Handling  every  variety  of 
home-made  work  and  the  products  of  all  the  leading  New  England 
manufactories.  Boot  and  Shoe  Findings.  Builders’  Hardware. 
Cabinet-Makers’  Wares.  Canned  Goods.  Carpets  and  Oil 
Cloths.  Cattle.  China,  Glass  and  Crockery-Ware — Including 
bric-a-brac.  Cigars — Domestic  and  imported.  Clothing.  Coal 
and  Wood.  Cotton — Raw.  Cotton  and  Woolen  Mill  Supplies. 
Cutlery.  Drugs  and  Medicines — Including,  paints,  oils,  dye-stuffs, 
surgical  instruments  and  appliances,  soaps,  perfumes,  and  toilet  ar- 
ticles. *Dry  Goods — Embracing  all  standard  fabrics.  Electrical 
Supplies.  Fancy  Goods  and  Notions.  Fancy  Groceries— In- 
cluding imported  delicacies  and  condiments.  Frames — Looking-glass 
and  picture.  Fertilizers.  Furniture.  Groceries — Under  this  head 
is  embraced  everything  in  the  grocery  line ; many  articles,  such  as  coffees, 
sugars,  and  molasses  being  of  direct  importation.  Ground  Glue,  Var- 
nish, Turpentine,  &c.  Guns  and  Sporting  Material.  Hardware 
— Even-  class.  Hides  and  Leather.  House  Furnishing  Goods. 
Harness.  Hats,  Caps,  Furs  and  Straw  Goods.  Ice,  Iron  and 
Steel,  Lead  and  Copper.  Ladies’  and  Gents’  Underwear.  Lime, 
Plaster  and  Cement.  Lubricators — For  factories  and  mills,  &e. 
Lumber.  Machinist  and  Gas-fitters’  Supplies.  Marbles.  Milli- 
nery. Musical  Instruments — Pianos  and  organs  of  all  the  best  man- 
ufactories— and  all  smaller  instruments.  Notions  and  Hostery — 
general  assortments.  Nurseries.  Papers — Including  book,  job, 
writing,  news,  card  board,  &c.  Pictures.  Pig-Iron.  Plows.  Pork. 
Pottery.  Produce.  Railroad  and  Miner’s  Supplies.  Regalia. 
Roofing.  Saddlery.  Sash,  Blinds  and  Doors.  Sewing  Machines 
- — All  of  the  best  machines  are  represented.  Silver-ware.  Stoves 
and  Tin-ware.  Tobacco — Plug  and  smoking  and  snuff.  Tobacco- 
nists’ Supplies — Including  flavorings.  Trunks  and  Valises.  Toys. 
Wall  Papers  and  Upholstering  Material.  Watches.  |Wines 
and  Liquors.  Wood  and  Willow- Ware.  Wool. 

It  will  be  seen  from  a careful  examination  of  the  range  of 
material  covered  by  the  foregoing  exhibits  (manufacturing  and 
jobbing)  that  it  is  possible  for  a merchant  to  secure  in  Richmond 
an  assorted  car  load  of  goods,  and  this  all  merchants  who 
know  their  business  desire  to  do.  The  reasons  are  too  obvious 
to  need  presentation  here. 


* It  is  a notable  fact  that  southern  fabrics,  especially  plaids  and  osna- 
burgs,  are  competing  on  the  counters  of  our  wholesale  dry  goods 
houses,  with  the  products  of  the  New  England  mills, 
f High  grades  of  direct  importation. 


CHAPTER  VI. 


OF  INTEREST  TO  TOURISTS. 

HISTORIC— POINTS  OF  INTEREST  IN  THE  CITY— AS  A HOME 
FOR  INVALIDS— THE  SCENERY  ON  THE  RAILROAD  LINES 
AND  THE  SUMMER  RESORTS. 

Richmond  must  always  possess  a fascination  for  the  tourist. 
As  an  incorporated  place  it  antedates  the  Revolutionary  period 
by  many  years,  and  has  been  the  scene  of  many  stirring  incidents 
connected  with  the  Colonial  period,  the  Revolution,  and  the  late 
civil  war.  Its  record  is  full  of  historic  memories,  many  of  them 
of  the  most  dramatic  character.  Its  very  site  was  consecrated  in 
blood  in  the  first  half  of  the  first  century  of  the  Colonial  settle- 
ment. In  1656,  Bloody  Run,  which  marks  one  of  the  divides  in 
the  eastern  plateau  of  the  city,  was  the  scene  of  a sanguinary 
engagement  between  a large  force  of  Richahicrian  Indians,  and 
the  Border  Rangers  under  Colonel  Hill  and  a band  of  friendly 
Indians  under  Totopotomoi,  in  which  the  latter  forces  were 
defeated.  Shockoe  creek,  Gillie’s  creek  and  Bacon’s  Quarter 
Branch  are  associated  with  important  events  of  the  “ Bacon’s 
Rebellion”  period  in  1676,  and  in  1781  the  city  was  visited  by 
the  British  expeditionary  force  under  Arnold  and  Simcoe,  and 
burned.  During  the  civil  war,  as  the  capital  of  the  Confederate 
Government,  it  was  the  great  strategic  point  of  attack  and 
defence,  the  headquarters  for  the  manufacture  of  all  heavy  war 
munitions,  and  was  more  than  once  girdled  with  fire. 

POINTS  OF  INTEREST. 

St.  John’s  Church  is  situated  on  what  is  known  as  Church 
Hill — a fact  which  gives  the  name  to  that  elevation — in  the 
eastern  portion  of  the  city,  and  was  built  in  1740.  It  is  a quaint, 
old-fashioned  structure,  and  within  its  walls  Patrick  Henry, 
speaking  to  the  Virginia  Convention  in  1775,  gave  utterance  to 
those  memorable  words:  “ Give  me  liberty , or  give  me  death  !" 


RICHMOND,  VIRGINIA. 


51 


The  graveyard  around  it  is  the  resting  place  of  the  remains  of 
the  older  members  of  many  of  Richmond’s  most  noted  families, 
and  is  so  filled  up  that  interments  cannot  now  be  made  without 
special  permission  of  the  City  Council. 

The  Old  Stone  House  is  the  oldest  building  of  its  char- 
acter in  Richmond,  dating  back  to  the  original  settlement. 
During  the  revolutionary  war  it  was  for  a time  the  headquarters 
of  Washington,  and  has  also  been  the  scene  of  entertainment  of 
Jefferson,  Madison,  Lafayette,  and  other  distinguished  persons. 

The  Capitol  Building  is  situated  in  the  Capitol  park,  or 
square  as  it  is  called  by  Richmond  people,  in  the  centre  of  the 
city,  and  from  the  top  commands  a view  of  the  city  and  sur- 
rounding country  for  miles,  in  every  direction.  The  corner-stone 
of  the  building  was  laid  August  the  18th,  1785,  and  it  is  the  re- 
pository of  many  of  Virginia’s  most  valuable  relics— Colonial, 
Revolutionary  and  Confederate.  Among  the  Colonial  relics  may 
be  mentioned  the  records  of  the  Land  Office  which  are  continuous 
from  1620,  the  chair  of  the  Speaker  of  the  House  of  Burgesses 
and  the  old  stove  made  in  England  in  1770  by  Buzaglo,  and  pre- 
sented to  .the  Colony  of  Virginia  by  the  Duke  of  Beaufort. 
This  relic  is  seven  feet  high,  is  elaborately  ornamented,  and  up  to 
a few  years  ago  did  excellent  service  in  heating  the  rotunda  of 
the  Capitol.  In  the  rotunda  is  the  Houdon  statue  of  Washing- 
ton— the  only  authentic  statue  of  Washington  in  existence,  hav- 
ing been  modeled  from  his  person — a bust  of  Lafayette,  by  the 
same  artist,  and  a statue  of  Henry  Clay,  by  Joel  T.  Hart,  which 
was  presented  to  the  State  by  the  ladies  of  Virginia.  In  the  State 
Library  there  are  over  thirty-five  thousand  volumes,  numerous 
Colonial  manuscripts,  and  a valuable  collection  of  portraits  and 
busts  of  distinguished  Virginians.  The  sessions  of  the  conven- 
tion which  passed  the  ordinance  of  secession  were  held  in  this 
building,  as  were  also  the  sessions  of  the  Confederate  Congress. 
The  walls  of  the  House  of  Delegates  are  ornamented  by  pictures 
of  Chatham  and  Jefferson,  and  those  of  the  Senate  chamber  by 
Lami’s  Storming  of  a Redoubt  at  Yorktovvn  and  Elder’s  General 
R.  E.  Lee. 

The  Capitol  Square  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful  spots  in 
the  city.  At  the  highest  point  in  the  enclosure  is  the  Washing- 
ton monument,  universally  conceded  to  be  the  finest  monumental 


52 


RICHMOND,  VIRGINIA. 


group  in  the  country,  and  one  of  the  finest  in  the  world.  The 
figure  of  Washington  on  horseback  overlooks  and  is  surrounded 
by  statues  of  Lewis,  Henry,  Mason,  Jefferson,  Marshall  and  Nel- 
son, which  in  turn  overlook  allegorical  figures,  typifying  “ Colo- 
nial times,”  “Revolution,”  “Bill  of  Rights,”  “Independence,” 
“ Justice,”  and  “ Finance,”  and  the  historic  events  that  made  these 
men  famous.  The  figures  are  of  bronze,  and  the  entire  cost  of 
the  monument  was  $259,913.61.  All  of  the  figures,  except  those 
of  Lewis,  Nelson  and  Marshall,  and  the  allegorical  figures,  were 
designed  and  executed  by  Crawford.  At  his  death,  the  contract 
for  the  unfinished  work  was  awarded  to  Randolph  Rogers.  Near 
the  Washington  monument  is  the  Foley  statue  of  Stonewall 
Jackson,  presented  to  the  State  of  Virginia  by  the  Right  Hon- 
orable A.  J.  Beresford-Hope,  and  other  English  gentlemen. 
A pretty  incident  connected  with  this  work  of  art  is,  that  the 
Boston  Knights  Templar,  during  a recent  visit  to  Richmond, 
marched  alone,  and  unknown  to  their  hosts,  from  their  hotel  to 
the  Capitol  grounds,  and  while  their  band  discoursed  appropriate 
music,  formed  around  the  statue  and  decorated  it  with  a wreath 
of  flowers.  Within  the  Capitol  enclosure  are  also  the  guber- 
natorial mansion  and  the  old  bell-house,  which  latter,  up  to 
the  days  of  reconstruction,  served  as  a guard-house  for  the  State 
Guard,  the  standing  army  of  Virginia.  This  guard  did  police 
duty  in  and  about  the  public  buildings.  The  bell  in  the  tower 
was  used  to  strike  the  time,  to  sound  fire-alarms  and  call  out  the 
other  military. 

The  Monumental  Church  is  built  on  the  site  of  the  old 
Richmond  Theatre,  which  was  burned  December  26,  1811.  One 
hundred  and  twenty  people,  including  the  Governor  of  the  Com- 
monwealth, George  W.  Smith,  perished  in  the  flames.  In  the 
portico  of  the  church  is  a monument  on  which  are  recorded  the 
names  of  the  victims. 

St.  Paul’s,  the  largest  Episcopal  church  in  the  city,  is  the 
edifice  in  which  President  Jefferson  Davis  was  seated  on  Sunday, 
April  2d,  1865,  when  the  news  was  received  from  General  Lee 
sounding  the  death-knell  of  the  Confederacy. 

Libby  Prison,  now  a fertilizer  mill,  is  a plain  brick  building, 
situated  in  the  lower  part  of  the  city,  and  was  used  as  a Federal 
prison  during  the  war. 


RICHMOND,  VIRGINIA. 


53 


On  Belle  Isle,  a large  island  in  James  river,  an  extensive 
prison  camp  was  located,  and  it  was  this  point  Dahlgren  was 
endeavoring  to  reach  when  he  made  his  celebrated  raid. 

Hollywood  Cemetery  is  on  the  extreme  western  edge  of 
the  city,  and  is  a place  of  exceptional  natural  beauty.  Here  are 
buried  twelve  thousand  Confederate  soldiers,  and  here  also  are 
located  the  Monroe  monument,  and  the  monument  to  the  Con- 
federate dead,  erected  by  the  ladies  of  the  Hollywood  Memorial 
Association.  This  latter  is  a granite  pyramid  90  feet  high. 
Among  other  distinguished  men  buried  in  Hollywood  are  John 
Randolph  of  Roanoke,  Lieutenant-General  A.  P.  Hill,  Major- 
General  Geo.  Pickett,  of  Gettysburg  fame;  Commodore  Mathew 
F.  Maury,  Governor  Henry  A.  Wise,  General  J.  E.  B.  Stuart,  the 
cavalry  leader,  President  John  Tyler,  and  others. 

Oakwood  Cemetery,  another  beautiful  spot,  is  on  the  eastern 
corporation  boundary,  and  the  National  Cemetery  is  situated 
j ust  below  the  city. 

The  Finest  Public  Buildings  are  the  Custom-House  and 
Post-Office,  the  Medical  College,  and  the  Almshouse.  The  City 
Hall,  a striking  Doric  structure,  was  condemned  and  pulled  down 
as  insecure,  but  the  people  of  the  city  have  voted  to  erect  a new 
one  at  a cost  of  $300,000.  The  Medical  College  is  a State  insti- 
tution of  the  highest  repute  at  home  and  abroad.  The  faculty 
embraces  some  of  the  most  eminent  physicians  in  Richmond,  and 
its  clinical  advantages  are  very  superior. 

The  Confederate  White  House. — The  mansion  occupied 
by  President  Davis  during  the  war  is  a substantial  building 
erected  by  an  opulent  gentleman  for  a private  residence.  It  is 
now  used  as  a public  school.  The  Lee  House  is  on  the  most 
fashionable  thoroughfare  and  is  a commodious  but  unpretentious 
building. 

Valentine’s  Studio  attracts  a large  number  of  visitors. 
Here,  in  addition  to  the  original  casts  of  the  artist’s  own  works 
- — -prominent  among  them  the  recumbent  figure  of  General  R. 
E.  Lee — are  numerous  examples  of  the  plastic  art  from  abroad. 
In  the  neighborhood  of  Valentine’s  studio  is  the  residence  of 
Chief  Justice  John  Marshall. 

The  Richmond  College  grounds  and  buildings  are  situated 


54 


RICHMOND,  VIRGINIA. 


near  the  western  boundary  of  the  city  at  the  head  of  one  of  the 
most  fashionable  avenues.  The  institution  is  in  a flourishing  con- 
dition, and  is  accumulating  a valuable  museum. 

The  Battle-fields  around  Richmond  are  objects  of  inter- 
est to  tourists  from  all  parts  of  the  country,  and  many  of  the 
earthworks  thrown  up  on  them  are  still  standing.  They  are  ap- 
proached from  the  city  by  good  roads.  The  more  generally 
visited  points  are  Seven  Pines,  Cold  Harbor,  Mechanicsville,  Fort 
Harrison,  Malvern  Hill,  Savage’s  Station  and  Drewry’s  Bluff. 
Savage  Station  can  also  be  reached  by  the  Richmond,  York 
River  and  Chesapeake  Railroad,  and  Drewry’s  Bluff  by  the  river. 
This  latter  stronghold  was  the  scene  of  the  unsuccessful  attack, 
made  May  16,  1862,  by  the  Union  fleet,  consisting  of  the  Moni- 
tor, Galena,  Aroostook,  Naugatuck,  Port  Royal  and  other  vessels. 

FOR  INVALIDS. 

Richmond  is  the  great  intermediate  stopping-place  for  travel- 
lers between  Florida  and  the  North,  and  is  highly  commended 
as  a winter  residence  for  those  fleeing  the  more  rigorous  climate 
of  the  latter  section.  The  winters  are  mild,  and  in  the  late  spring 
the  city  is  truly  a city  of  foliage  and  flowers.  So  much  of  the 
travel  alluded  to  passes  through  here  that  it  is  in  contemplation 
to  erect  a handsome  hotel  in  the  fashionable  part  of  the  city  for 
its  especial  accommodation.  Regardless  of  this  improvement, 
however,  there  is  room  for  the  profitable  investment  of  capital  in 
another  hotel.  As  before  stated,  the  people  extend  the  warmest 
welcome  to  strangers,  and  already  there  is  a large  resident  north- 
ern element.  As  a diverging  point  for  tourists  it  also  possesses 
great  advantages.  A few  hours’  ride  by  any  line  of  transporta- 
tion brings  complete  change  of  scenery,  and  on  every  route, 
water  or  rail,  there  are  points  of  interest  worth  especial  trips. 

JAMES  RIVER  ROUTE. 

The  banks  of  the  river  from  Richmond  to  Norfolk  are  studded 
■on  both  sides  with  historical  localities.  Powhatan,  in  sight  of 
the  city,  is  the  site  of  one  of  the  residences  of  the  Indian  king  by 
that  name,  whose  daughter  saved  the  life  of  Captain  John  Smith. 
She  stands  in  Virginia’s  history  as  an  Indian  princess  and  the 


RICHMOND,  VIRGINIA. 


55 


maternal  ancestor  of  some  of  the  most  prominent  people  in 
the  State.  Whitby  was  settled  as  early  as  1620,  only  thirteen 
years  after  Jamestown,  and  Warwick,  only  four  miles  below 
Richmond,  was  before  the  Revolution  the  shipping  point  for  the 
city.  Passing  Ampthill,  the  residence  of  a celebrated  Colonial 
patriot,  Falling  Creek,  on  which  is  the  site  of  the  first  iron 
furnace  erected  in  the  Colony,  Drewry's  and  Chaffin’s 
Bluffs,  we  come  to  Dutch  Gap.  Here  the  river  makes  a 
long  sweep  around  a narrow  neck  of  land,  known  as  Farrar’s 
Island,  and  here  General  B.  F.  Butler  in  1864  undertook  to 
cut  his  canal,  with  a view  of  protecting  the  Federal  gunboats 
from  the  heavy  fire  of  the  Confederate  batteries.  After  the 
war  the  work  was  completed  by  the  United  States  govern- 
ment, in  the  interest  of  commerce,  and  has  proved  a great 
advantage  to  the  city,  as  it  cuts  off  seven  miles  of  very 
tedious  navigation.  Between  Dutch  Gap  and  Fort  Pow- 
hatan, built  during  the  Revolution  by  order  of  Baron  Steuben, 
may  be  noted  Varina  and  Curl’s  Neck,  Colonial  resi- 
dences; Turkey  Bend,  where  General  McClellan  took  refuge 
under  cover  of  his  gunboats  after  the  seven  days’  fight;  Mal- 
vern Hill,  Shirley  and  Berkeley,  fine  old  Colonial  home- 
steads— the  latter  the  birthplace  of  President  Harrison;  West- 
over,  the  seat  of  William  Byrd,  the  founder  of  Richmond  and 
Petersburg;  Wilcox’s,  where  General  Grant  crossed  the  James 
on  his  movement  from  Spotsylvania  Courthouse  to  Petersburg, 
and  Weyanoke,  another  Colonial  homestead,  and  the  scene 
of  a massacre  of  the  settlers  by  the  Indians.  Upper  Bran- 
don, Lower  Brandon  and  Sandy  Point,  Colonial  resi- 
dences, follow  next,  and  then  comes  Jamestown,  or  “James 
Cittie,”  the  first  capital  of  the  Colony,  and  the  seat  of  the 
residences  of  the  Royal  Governors  of  Virginia.  In  1619  the 
first  legislative  assembly  in  America  met  at  Jamestown  and  until 
1676  it  continued  to  be  the  scene  of  all  the  pomp  and  ceremony 
of  a court  in  minature.  In  that  year,  however — during  Bacon’s 
Rebellion — it  was  burned,  and  began  to  decline,  and  now  all  that 
marks  the  spot  is  the  tower  of  the  old  church  in  which  Poca- 
hontas was  baptized  and  married,  and  the  graveyard  surrounding 
it.  Just  below  Jamestown  is  King’s  Mill  Wharf,  the  landing 
for  Williamsburg,  four  miles  distant,  to  which  the  capital  of  the 


56 


RICHMOND,  VIRGINIA. 


Colony  was  removed  in  1698,  and  where  Spotswood  and  his  suc- 
cessors reigned  in  vice-regal  splendor  until  the  voice  of  Henry 
sounded  the  key-note  of  revolution.  Williamsburg  was  settled 
in  1632  and  is  the  seat  of  the  venerable  College  of  Wil- 
liam and  Mary,  founded  in  1692,  and  the  oldest  seat  of  learning 
in  the  United  States  except  Harvard.  Among  the  other  re- 
minders of  the  Colonial  period  yet  to  be  seen  are  the  remains  of 
the  Governor’s  palace,  the  Powder-horn,  and  the  House  of  Bur- 
gesses, where  Henry  made  his  great  speech  ending,  “ If  this  be 
treason  make  the  most  of  it .”  The  parish  church,  one  of  the 
oldest  church  edifices  in  Virginia,  is  in  an  excellent  state  of  pre- 
servation. Williamsburg  can  also  be  reached  by  the  Newports 
News  branch  of  the  Chesapeake  and  Ohio  railway.  Off  New- 
ports News,  the  next  point  of  interest,  the  naval  engagement 
between  the  Confederate  ram  Virginia  (or  Merrimac)  and  the 
steamers  Patrick  Henry  and  Jamestown  and  two  or  three  small 
gunboats,  and  the  United  States  fleet  of  wooden  vessels  took 
place  March  8,  1862,  and  the  following  day  in  the  same  waters 
occurred  the  fight  between  the  Virginia  and  the  Monitor.  At 
Old  Point  Comfort  are  the  Hygeia  hotel,  a favorite  summer 
resort  and  winter  sanitarium,  and  Fortress  Monroe,  the  largest 
and  strongest  fortress  in  this  country.  Near  Fortress  Monroe  is  the 
town  of  Hampton,  famous  in  Colonial,  Revolutionary  and  Con- 
federate history.  It  is  the  seat  of  the  Hampton  Normal  and  Agri- 
cultural Institute,  and  the  location  of  one  of  the  oldest  churches 
in  the  United  States.  The  marshes  and  reaches  of  James  river 
abound  in  water  fowl,  affording  excellent  sport  and  are  much 
frequented  by  Northern  sportsmen. 

THE  CHESAPEAKE  AND  OHIO  ROUTE. 

Hanover  courthouse  is  the  first  place  of  note  after^  leaving 
Richmond  on  the  road  going  west.  The  old  courthouse  was 
erected  in  1735,  of  imported  brick,  and  is  memorable  for  its 
colonial  and  revolutionary  reminiscences.  Gordonsville  is  the 
first  large  town,  but  before  reaching  it  Trevillian’s  station  is 
passed,  and  near  this  point  is  the  Military  Road  cut  by  Lafay- 
ette when  in  pursuit  of  the  British  in  1781.  Shadwell,  93  miles 
from  Richmond,  is  the  site  of  the  old  mill  property  of  Thomas 


RICHMOND,  VIRGINIA. 


57 


Jefferson  (the  ruins  are  still  standing),  and  two  miles  further  west 
the  traveller  comes  in  sight  of  Monticello,  the  famous  retreat 
and  burial-place  of  the  great  commoner.  Charlottesville  is  next, 
and  a mile  beyond  is  the  University  of  Virginia,  the  beautiful 
grounds  and  buildings  of  which  are  in  full  view  of  the  railroad. 
This  institution,  the  “child  of  Mr.  Jefferson’s  old  age,”  was 
founded  in  1819,  in  pursuance  of  a long  cherished  idea,  and  for- 
mally opened  March  7,  1825.  Mr.  Jefferson  superintended  every 
detail  of  the  construction  of  the  buildings,  importing  artizans  to 
do  some  of  the  finer  work.  It  is  liberally  endowed  by  the  State 
of  Virginia,  and  has  always  stood  in  the  front  rank  of  the  edu- 
cational institutions  of  the  country.  Among  its  post  bellurn 
benefactors  may  be  mentioned  the  Honorable  W.  W.  Corcoran, 
of  Washington,  W.  H.  Vanderbilt,  of  New  York  city,  and  the 
late  Lewis  Brooks,  of  Rochester.  To  Mr.  Brooks  it  owes  its 
handsome  museum  building  and  the  splendid  collectiop  it  con- 
tains Through  the  liberality  of  Mr.  Leander  McCormick,  of 
Chicago,  it  also  possesses  a magnificent  observatory.  The  Uni- 
versity draws  its  patronage  from  all  parts  of  the  country,  and  its 
alumni  have  distinguished  themselves  in  all  walks  of  life.  It  may 
be  mentioned  here,  as  an  evidence  of  the  abatement  of  sectional 
feeling,  that  not  only  are  the  Llniversity  and  other  educational 
institutions  receiving  students  from  the  North,  but  that  boys 
are  being  prepared  in  our  private  schools  for  these  institu- 
tions. From  Medium’s  river,  ten  miles  west  of  the  Univer- 
sity, the  road  begins  the  ascent  of  the  eastern  slope  of  the  Blue 
Ridge,  tunnelling  the  mountains  at  Rockfish  gap.  This  point  is 
1,500  above  tide-level  and  the  windings  of  the  road  before  reach- 
ing the  tunnel  command  a view  of  one  of  the  most  picturesque 
landscapes  in  this  country.  From  the  western  mouth  of  the  tun- 
nel, the  road  descends  into  the  Valley  of  Virginia,  connecting  at 
Waynesboro  with  the  Shenandoah  Valley  Railroad  for  Luray 
Caverns — conceded  to  be  among  the  most  remarkable  cave- 
formations  in  the  world.  Staunton,  136  miles  from  Richmond, 
is  the  seat  of  four  of  the  largest  female  educational  institutions  in 
the  South — the  Augusta  Female  Seminary  (Presbyterian),  the 
Virginia  Female  Institute  (Episcopal),  the  Wesleyan  Female  In- 
stitute (Methodist),  and  Staunton  Female  Seminary  (Lutheran). 

It  is  a place  remarkable  for  its  health,  and  is  the  junction  of  the 
5 


58 


RICHMOND,  VIRGINIA. 


Valley  and  the  Chesapeake  and  Ohio  railroads.  At  this  point 
the  traveller  makes  railroad  or  stage  connection  for  Stribling 
Springs,  Weyer’s  Cave,  the  Cave  of  the  Fountains,  and  Rawley, 
Orkney,  and  Capon  Springs.  A few  miles  west  of  Staunton  the 
road  enters  what  is  termed  the  great  mineral  spring  basin  of  Vir- 
ginia and  West  Virginia,  jn  which  are  situated  the  following  well 
known  summer  resorts:  Variety  Springs,  Crawford  Springs,  Cold 
Sulphur  Springs,  Rockbridge  Baths,  Rockbridge  Alum  and  Jor- 
dan Alum  Springs,  Millboro’  Springs,  Wallawhatoola  Springs, 
the  Warm,  Hot  and  Healing  Springs,  Dagger’s  Springs,  the  Old 
Sweet  and  the  Sweet  Chalybeate  Springs,  the  Salt  Sulphur,  the 
Red  Sulphur,  and  the  Greenbrier  White  Sulphur  Springs.  The 
distance  from  Staunton  to  the  White  Sulphur  is  91  miles,  and  the 
distance  from  the  White  Sulphur  to  Huntington  is  194  miles,, 
mudi  of  the  road  being  through  a country  unequalled  for  wild- 
ness and  grandeur  of  scenery,  and  involving  feats  of  engineering 
as  difficult  as  any  ever  attempted  on  this  continent.  The  Rev.. 
John  Hall,  D.  D , in  a letter  to  a New  York  paper  describing  his 
trip  over  the  road,  says : 

“ My  way  lay  along  the  line  of  the  Chesapeake  and  Ohio  railroad,  and 
he  who  can  travel  by  it  unmoved  ought  to  be  placed  permanently  oil 
the  Jersey  flats,  and  forbidden  the  sight  of  anything  more  picturesque 
than  a machine  shop.  There  is  a famous  road  in  Italy  which  attracts 
by  its  rapid  alternations  of  dark  tunnel  and  picturesque  valley;  but  it 
is  no  exaggeration  to  say  that  as  much  could  be  abstracted  from  the 
Virginia  line  without  being  missed.  Every  one  who  ever  crossed  the 
Alps  into  Italy  remembers  the  zigzags  from  which  he  looks  down  on 
the  valley  he  is  reaching.  But  the  hills  around  are  bare  and  hard.  The 
generous  Alleghanies  and  the  Blue  Ridge  are  richly  wooded  to  their 
tops,  and  look  as  soft  and  green  as  the  hill-sides  around  Lake  Maggiore. 
All  travellers  by  the  Pennsylvania  Central  remember  that  attractive 
piece  of  fancy  engineering  known  as  the  Horse-Shoe,  and  nobody  has 
gone  to  California  without  recalling  the  doubling  of  Cape  Horn — where 
your  train  winds  round  the  high  brow  of  a mountain,  as  if  it  had 
climbed  up  to  give  you  a look  at  the  valleys  below.  The  traveller 
across  the  Virginias  can  have  delights  like  these  again  and  again  re- 
peated. The  Rhine  owes  no  little  of  its  attractiveness  to  the  battle- 
ments on  its  steeps.  The  New  river  is  not,  indeed,  like  the  Rhine  in 
depth  or  breadth,  but  it  has  features  of  its  own.  Now  it  is  a broad 
stream,  leisurely  chattering  to  the  woods  that  overhang  it;  anon  it  is  in 
a narrower  bed  scolding  the  rocks  as  large  as  houses,  that  have  intruded 


RICHMOND,  VIRGINIA. 


65 


land  is  also  the  residence  of  numbers  of  Richmond  business  men. 
The  Virginia  Theological  Seminary  (Episcopal),  organized  in 
1827,  is  located  at  Al^andria,  Virginia,  on  the  line  of  this  sys- 
tem, between  Richmond  and  Washington.  There  has  been  only 
one  fatal  accident  on  this  road — the  Eldest  road  in  the  State  — 
and  that  was  not  the  fault  of  the  company. 

THE  COAST-LINE  ROUTE. 

Twenty-two  miles  from  Richmond  the  Coast- line  route  passes 
through  Petersburg,  thence  on  to  the  Seaside  resorts  of  North 
Carolina  and  the  orange  groves  of  Florida.  Petersburg  is  a 
city  of  22,000  inhabitants.  The  country  around  it  was  the 
scene  of  some  of  the  most  desperate  fighting  of  the  war,  and 
many  of  the  houses  in  the  city  bear  the  marks  of  Federal  shells 
to  this  day.  The  “ Crater  ” battle-field  is  one  of  the  objects  of 
especial  interest  connected  with  those  dark  days,  and  the  colonial 
period  is  represented  in  the  picturesque  ruins  of  old  Biandford 
church.  From  Petersburg  it  is  but  a short  ride  by  rail  over  the 
Norfolk  and  Western  road  to  the  edge  of  the  famous  Dismal 
Swamp. 

THE  NORFOLK  AND  WESTERN  ROUTE. 

Connection  is  made  with  the  Norfolk  and  Western  route  by 
either  the  Petersburg,  the  Danville,  or  the  Richmond  and 
Alleghany.  From  Burkeville,  the  point  of  connection  with  the 
Danville  road  to  Lynchburg,  the  route  passes  through  much  of 
the  territory  over  which  General  Lee’s  army  made  its  retreat  to 
Appomattox  Courthouse,  the  scene  of  the  surrender.  Farm- 
ville,  in  Prince  Edward  county,  is  the  depot  for  Hampden  Sid- 
ney, the  seat  of  Hampden  Sidney  College  and  Union  Theological 
Seminary.  The  former  was  organized  in  1775  under  Presbyte- 
rian auspices,  the  latter  in  1824.  Both  schools  have  a widespread 
and  enviable  reputation.  West  of  Lynchburg  the  objects  of  in- 
terests for  tourists,  pleasure  and  health  seekers  reached  by  the 
road  are  Blue  Ridge  Springs,  Coyner’s  Springs,  the  Peaks  of 
Otter,  Salt  Pond,  Bedford  Alum  Springs,  Bald  Knob,  the  Natu- 
ral Tunnel,  Botetourt  Springs  (the  seat  of  Hollins  (Female)  In- 
stitute), Roanoke  Red  Sulphur  Springs,  Montgomery  White 
Sulphur  Springs,  the  Yellow  Sulphur  Springs,  Pulaski  Alum 


64 


RICHMOND,  VIRGINIA. 


Springs,  New  River  White  Sulphur  Springs,  Sharon  Springs, 
and  Alleghany  Springs.  At  Salem  is  located  Roanoke  College, 
organized  under  Lutheran  patronage  in  1853;  and  at  Emory, 
Emory  and  Henry  College,  organized  in  1837.  The  Virginia 
Agricultural  and  Mechanical  .College,  a State  institution,  is  situ- 
ated at  Blacksburg,  on  this  route. 

CONCLUSION. 

In  conclusion  and  apropos  of  summer  resorts  and  excursions  let 
us  again  say  a word  to  artizans  and  others  whose  means  will  not 
allow  them  to  avail  themselves  of  the  fashionable  places  of  recre- 
ation. The  heated  term  in  Richmond  does  not  necessitate  a gen- 
eral exodus,  and  eveh  when  it  becomes  desirable  to  have  a change 
of  air,  going  into  the  country  does  not  involve  a long  and  expen- 
sive trip.  The  gates  of  the  city  literally  open  out  upon  pastures 
green  and  running  streams — a buggy  ride  of  a couple  of  miles 
in  any  direction  from  the  corporation  line  and  the  country  is 
spread  before  us  in  all  of  its  freshness.  The  towns  and  villages  of 
the  State  are  far  between,  and  on  all  the  railroad  routes  we  have 
described  there  are  numerous  farm  houses  where  good  board 
can  be  obtained  at  reasonable  rates,  and  every  necessary  accom- 
modation is  found.  The  country  folk  of  Virginia,  while  they 
cannot,  as  a rule,  afford  to  keep  open  houses,  as  they  did  before 
the  war,  have  lost  none  of  their  hospitality  or  faculty  for  making 
strangers  feel  at  home,  and  for  this  reason  many  families  of  abun- 
dant means  prefer  the  quiet  farm-house,  for  spending  the  summer, 
to  the  public  resorts. 


Date  Due 

9 

Library  Bureau  Cat.  no.  |I37 

L 

I 


975.553  R533A 


P33462 


